**Three Men Convicted After Drugging and Raping 12-Year-Old Girl in Kent**
Three men are due to be sentenced after being found guilty of drugging and repeatedly sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl they had first encountered in a supermarket car park in Kent. The case, which concluded at Canterbury Crown Court, has prompted widespread shock due to the callous nature of the offences and the young age of the victim.
The court heard that two of the men, Kevin Horvath, 26, and Ivan Turtak, 38, first spotted the girl in a supermarket car park in Dover on 11 August 2024. They lured her into their vehicle and then supplied her with dangerous substances, including crystal methamphetamine and amphetamines, over a period of three days. During this grim period, the victim was subjected to sexual abuse not only by Horvath and Turtak but also by a third man, Ernest Gunar, 27.
The girl’s ordeal only came to an end after she managed to escape. Reports from the trial indicate that on the morning of 13 August, the child awoke before her captors and fled. Her courage in breaking free was described as remarkable, given the threats she faced during her captivity. The jury was told that she had been warned by her abusers that she would be killed if she tried to run away or speak to anyone about her plight. This attempt at control kept her in a state of fear, and when she was eventually found by police, she was so traumatised that she was initially unable to talk about what had happened.
A lengthy trial followed, culminating in guilty verdicts following more than 14 hours of jury deliberation. The panel found Gunar guilty of two counts of rape of a child under the age of 13. Turtak was found guilty of one count of child rape, while Horvath was convicted of sexual assault. Notably, Horvath had already pleaded guilty to three additional counts of child rape and one charge of assault by penetration of a child under 13. Prosecutors pointed out that Gunar, believed to be Horvath’s cousin, had also admitted one further charge of rape. While Turtak initially denied the charges of rape, he later admitted to making indecent photographs of a child, further highlighting the grave nature of the group’s actions.
When police finally located the girl, she was without her mobile phone, which investigators later discovered inside Horvath’s car. This withholding of her means of contact reportedly formed part of the men’s efforts to isolate her and prevent her from seeking help.
Crown Prosecutor Catherine Wear commended the bravery of the victim, stating: “The three defendants took a 12-year-old from the street, took full advantage of her, plying her with drugs and using her for their own horrendous gratification. None of us can underestimate the impact this has had on her. When she was first found by police, she was unable to tell them what she had been put through, as she was so scared, and the details only came out gradually after that. Thanks to her courage in detailing what happened to her, despite the obvious distress that caused her, these three dangerous men have now been brought to justice for the appalling and callous crimes they committed against her.”
The men — Horvath and Turtak of Dover and Gunar of Folkestone — now face significant custodial sentences, with the court due to hand down punishment on 12 September. The legal process and the outcome have been watched closely by supporters of the victim, as well as by child protection groups who point to the case as a tragic example of risks faced by vulnerable young people.
This disturbing case serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for vigilance in protecting children and teenagers from exploitation and harm. Although the girl’s ordeal was harrowing, authorities have expressed hope that her bravery, and the justice now served, will help her in the process of rebuilding her life. For the wider community, the incident has underscored the importance of support systems and the crucial role of law enforcement in bringing offenders to account.
Victims of similar crimes are urged by officials to come forward, reinforcing the message that help and justice are available. The sentencing in September is expected to bring some measure of closure, but the long-term recovery for the survivor, and the lessons for society, will continue to be felt.