A 42-year sentence has been imposed on Ian Hamilton, a 63-year-old man who raped and sexually assaulted numerous women and girls in the Dover and Canterbury areas of Kent.

Hamilton's conviction stems from a review of a 1988 investigation into an attack on a girl in Hersden, which subsequently linked him to a 1992 report concerning abuse inflicted on a child in Dover during the mid-1980s. This led Kent Police's Cold Case Investigation Team to trace and interview individuals who had contact with Hamilton around that time.

As a result of these efforts, nine more women came forward, revealing they too were victims of violence and sexual abuse perpetrated by Hamilton between 1977 and 2000. Additionally, a man reported being seriously assaulted by him in 1991. The investigation uncovered over 50 previously unreported offenses.

Hamilton was arrested at his Snodland residence in March 2024. A search of his home revealed a computer containing over 1,500 indecent images. He stood trial at Inner London Crown Court and was found guilty by a jury on all 59 charges, including rape, indecent assault, and causing grievous bodily harm. Hamilton had previously admitted to possession of indecent images.

On December 13, 2024, he received a sentence of 42 years and one month. Judge Silas Reid described Hamilton as 'cunning and sadistic' and a 'monster of the night'.