A MAN who repeatedly raped and sexually abused two young girls and indecently assaulted a boy was jailed for 20 years on Friday.
Stephen Smith, aged 61, and formerly of Nailsworth preyed on one of the girls over a six year period from 1976 to 1982 and also indecently assaulted an 11-year-old boy.
Then between 1992 and 1996 he committed a series of similar offences against another young girl.
Both his female victims were six when the abuse began. The offences happened both in Nailsworth and in Wales.
Jailing him at Gloucester Crown Court, Judge Jamie Tabor QC said it had been clear to him when he saw the women victims give evidence what damage Smith had done.
“They have written victim impact statements without self-pity but with an understandable sense of anger and bitterness at the way you have behaved,” said the judge.
“These offences never leave the victims. They are always there in the background and the victims live with not just long-lasting but perpetual unhappy memories.
“Their psyches are invariably damaged as a result.”
The judge said Smith’s offences against the two girls merited 15 years jail each, consecutively — a total of 30 years.
But he said he had to bear in mind the principles of totality and should not impose such a long overall sentence.
He passed sentences of nine years for offences against one girl, nine years consecutively in respect of the other girl and two years consecutively for the indecent assault of the boy.
When Smith, who has been living in Wales in Ty Mawr, Llanbydder, near Carmarthen, is eventually released on parole he will be subject to a licence and will also have to sign the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.
Smith was convicted by a jury of five charges of rape and indecent assault of the girls and indecent assault of the boy. He was cleared of cruelty to the boy.
Prosecuting barrister Paul Cook told the court at the start of the trial: “The defendant was mentally cruel, physically and sexually abusive to these children.”
Smith was arrested in March 2013.
In evidence, Smith denied abusing any of the three children and claimed they had made the allegations to try to get money from him.