Monster Given 42-Year Sentence for Horrific Attacks on Women and Girls
A 63-year-old man has been handed a brutal 42-year jail term for a string of terrifying sexual assaults and rapes across Dover and Canterbury.
Cold Case Leads to Shocking Revelations
Ian Hamilton’s nightmare began to unravel after Kent Police’s Cold Case Investigation Team reopened a 1988 file on an attack in Hersden. This led them to a linked 1992 report of child abuse in Dover from the mid-1980s.
Further probing revealed Hamilton had preyed on victims over decades. Detectives tracked down survivors, uncovering a total of nine women who suffered sexual abuse between 1977 and 2000, plus a man seriously assaulted in 1991.
Over 50 Unreported Crimes and Shock Findings
- Hamilton was arrested at his Snodland home in March 2024.
- Police found over 1,500 indecent images on his computer.
- He faced 59 charges including rape, indecent assault, and grievous bodily harm.
At Inner London Crown Court, the jury convicted him on all counts. He admitted possession of indecent images early in the trial.
Judge Brands Hamilton ‘Cunning and Sadistic’
Sentencing on Friday 13 December 2024, Judge Silas Reid called Hamilton a “monster of the night” whose crimes have shattered the lives of his victims.
“What you have done with many women in this case has shaped their whole outlook on life. They live with the horrors you have put them through. All the victims have shown immense bravery to overcome the damage you have caused them,” said the judge. “Hopefully after today all of your victims can put you in their past.”
Detective Praises Victims’ Courage and Calls for More to Speak Out
Detective Inspector Lee Neiles saluted the victims’ bravery and the Cold Case team’s relentless work.
“Ian Hamilton raped and indecently assaulted girls and women throughout his life. So terrifying was he that many victims couldn’t report him at the time.” “Without their courage and the team’s tenacity, this lifetime of abuse might never have been fully exposed. I urge anyone who has suffered sexual violence, no matter how long ago, to come forward and report it to the police.”
Kent Police continue to fight violence against women and girls. For more info on their work tackling domestic abuse, stalking, harassment, and other crimes, visit the Kent Police website.
