A man and woman have been jailed for a combined total of 21 years following convictions for a rape in Chatham.
Samantha Hart and Charlie Olding acted together to persuade the victim into meeting them before subjecting her to a prolonged and degrading ordeal.
Under joint enterprise legislation, they were found guilty of rape, and causing someone to engage in sexual activity, following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court.
The court heard how the victim attended the private address in Chatham during the early hours of 10 September 2020, after receiving a text message from Olding.
As she approached the property she was assaulted by Hart. A third offender, Lee Kitchiner, then helped force the victim into a cellar, where Olding was waiting.
The victim was threatened and subjected to a prolonged and violent assault. She was raped and forced to stay in the cellar, while being watched by Hart, but eventually managed to escape later that day.
Guilty
The three suspects were arrested shortly after and later charged and remanded in custody.
Following a trial, Hart, 32, from Chatham was found guilty of rape and causing the victim to engage in sexual activity. On Friday 27 August 2021, she was sentenced to 11 years.
Olding, 22, from Chatham, was found guilty of the same offences. He was sentenced to 10 years.
Both also admitted a third charge of assault causing actual bodily harm and will have to serve two-thirds of their sentences before they can apply for parole.
Kitchiner, 18, from Strood, was found guilty of the sexual activity offence. He was given a suspended sentence, with 200 hours of unpaid work and made the subject of a 12 month tagged curfew and rehabilitation order.
Depraved
Detective Constable Kathryn Lumsden-Earle, Kent Police’s investigating officer for the case, said: ‘Hart and Olding acted together to subject the victim to the worst possible kind of abuse. Their offending was savage, depraved and completely remorseless.’The victim showed exceptional courage to report this to us and give evidence in court. Her bravery has helped impose considerable custodial sentences on two exceptionally dangerous individuals and I sincerely hope that this result provides her with a degree of reassurance.’
DC Kathryn Lumsden-Earle