Man Jailed for 23 Years for Horrific Sexual Abuse

A 54-year-old man, Kevin Langford, has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for a string of horrific sexual abuse charges spanning six years, beginning when his victim was only 12 years old.

Langford, who has no fixed address, was convicted of 29 charges in May following an earlier court hearing. The abuse occurred while he resided in Wootton. He had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child and was found guilty of the remaining indictments, which included possessing and distributing indecent images of children, causing/inciting a child into prostitution/pornography, and trafficking a person out of the UK for sexual exploitation.

The Luton Crown Court heard harrowing details of the abuse, which began when the victim was just 12 years old. Langford repeatedly assaulted her and forced her into engaging in sexual activity. As she grew older, he compelled her to pose for provocative photos, which he posted to an adult website claiming she was 18, and began taking her to hotels to engage in sexual activity with other men, including a trip overseas.

On one occasion, one of the men filmed the victim, and Langford used this footage to threaten her, warning her against telling anyone about the abuse.

In April 2017, the victim bravely disclosed the abuse she had endured over the past six years to the police. In addition to the 23-year prison sentence, Langford will be on licence for two years after his release.

Detective Constable Jenny Bryce said, "I am delighted that Langford has received such a substantial custodial sentence as he not only subjected his victim to years of sexual abuse, but he also exploited her in the most horrendous way by advertising her online to strangers. I cannot praise the bravery of the victim enough for coming forward and disclosing all of Langford's sickening actions. I hope this sentence can serve as some kind of closure for her so she can move on with her life."

"Child sexual abuse is one of the most heinous crimes and it will never be tolerated in our county. We are committed to tackling these sickening individuals and ensuring that they are made to pay for their actions."