Three men have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms after being found guilty of repeatedly raping a 12-year-old girl. The convictions followed a harrowing ordeal in which the victim was lured into a car and held captive for several days.
Kevin Horvath, 26, and Ivan Turtak, 38, both from Dover, along with Ernest Gunar, 27, from Folkestone, were convicted of multiple child sex offences, including rape. The sentencing took place at Canterbury Crown Court where Horvath and Turtak were each sentenced to 17 years in prison, while Gunar received a 19-year sentence. All three men, who are Slovakian nationals, will serve an additional three years on license.
The court heard that the abuse began after the girl was approached in a supermarket car park in Dover on Sunday, August 11, 2024. She was driven to various locations, plied with drugs and alcohol, and subjected to repeated sexual abuse. The men held her at Turtak’s flat in Dover before driving her to a caravan owned by Gunar. She was threatened with death if she tried to escape or raise an alarm. On Tuesday, August 13, the girl managed to escape the caravan while the men were asleep. She later reported the horrific abuse to Kent Police. An investigation quickly led to the discovery of CCTV footage showing the victim entering a silver Skoda Fabia. The vehicle’s registration was traced to Horvath. On August 15 Horvath and Turtak were arrested and Gunar was later identified as the third offender He was apprehended three days later at Glasgow Airport as he attempted to flee the country. Forensic evidence linked all three men to the offences. An indecent image of the victim was also found on Turtak’s phone.
Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Smith praised the victim’s bravery, stating, “Kevin Horvath, Ivan Turtak, and Ernest Gunar are clearly three very dangerous offenders who thought nothing about picking a child up off the street and effectively keeping her prisoner in order to fulfill their own depraved sexual needs.” He added that he hoped the significant sentences would bring some comfort to the victim and her family.