A PENSIONER who claims to be a former bowls champion has been jailed for six and a half years for sex offences against two young girls more than 40 years apart.

Michael Winley, 74, of Kingsway, Cirencester, was convicted last month of two offences of molesting a young girl who visited his home during 2013 and 2014 to look at the dolls houses he made.

He admitted taking indecent pictures of her and another girl who also visited his home.

He was found guilty of five charges of multiple indecent assaults of a girl aged eight to 12 that took place in the 1970s.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC told him at Gloucester Crown Court that a ‘dark shadow’ had hung over his first victim’s life ever since he abused her in the 1970s.

He said. “Unsurprisingly, she doesn’t trust any man and that’s what you did; you and you alone, Mr Winley.”

One of the worst aspects of the case, he said, was that Winley had continued to deny the historic offences.

Judge Tabor made an indefinite sexual harm prevention order banning Winley from contacting any of his victims and also prohibiting him from being alone in the company of any child under 16 without permission from parents and social services.

Paul Trotman, defending, urged the judge to take into account Winley’s poor health and said he had suffered several strokes.

Winley told the jury last month he had hugged and kissed the girl who visited his home frequently in 2013 and 2014, but he denied there was anything indecent in what he did.

He denied that anything sexual had taken place between him and the girl 40 years ago and said her allegations were all ‘complete fabrication’.