Kentish Express Ashford & District
Two arrested after shooting are released
Two men arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a shooting in a rural village have been released without charge.
Police were called to the incident at Marten Park near Plurenden Road in High Halden in November last year.
Armed officers were deployed while roadblocks were set up in a wide cordon around the area during the incident after villagers reported hearing guns firing.
They were told to stay indoors for several hours, with reports that gunmen could be on the loose. Two police helicopters circled overhead for several hours, while two men had to be airlifted to hospital in London after suffering gunshot wounds.
By 5pm two men were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the incident. Now police spokesman Steve Knight said the men have been released without charge.
He said: “Officers carried out a thorough investigation into the incident, including a full review of forensic evidence, CCTV footage and mobile phone analysis.
“However there was insufficient evidence to support a prosection. Officers will continue to investigate any further information that comes to light and continue to appeal for witnesses to come forward.”
Witnesses can contact Insp Tristan Kluibenschadl on 01622 654874. An Ashford man who is addicted to child porn tried to act out his “grotesque fantasies” with a young girl.
And when he was finally arrested, company buyer Gary Crook told police: “I hate paedophiles… but then I realised I was becoming one myself!”
Canterbury Crown Court heard how the 36-year-old had carried out a “campaign of rape” in Ashford and Lenham.
And when he was arrested, his mobile phone was seized by officers who found that he had stored on it more than 900 disgusting sex images of children he had downloaded from the internet.
Judge Simon James gave Crook a 18-year jail sentence, and added an extra four years that Crook will have to serve on licence if and when he is released from prison.
Crook can only apply for parole after serving a minimum two thirds of the 18 years, by which time he will be 48 years old.
He said: “I have rarely, if ever before, heard a disarmingly frank and candid admission to such serious offences of this type.
“I accept that you are now remorseful for the ordeal you put your victim through… which probably involves some of the worst abuses imaginable.
“You accessed images of child sexual abuse over the internet and chose to act out your grotesque fantasies, which involved degrading acts of sexual abuse and exposing your victim to child pornography.”
The court heard the vile sex attacks came to light after the victim revealed them to a relative, who contacted the police.
Initially, Crook denied carrying out the repeated rapes but later confessed to his mother during a walk.
The judge told him what he had done meant his victim will suffer “sustained, severe and permanent psychological damage.”
He added: “What you did can properly be described as a cam- paign of rape and vile sexual abuse on a vulnerable child.”
Crook, who had since moved to Hartford, East Sussex was sent to prison for 18 years after admitting eight charges of rape and other sexual offences.
The judge added: “Someone who carries out this type of offence poses a significant risk to children. You have an unnatural interest in young children, which is evidenced by your collection of images of child sexual abuse.”