A child sex offender on the Isle of Wight has been sent to prison for 15 years.
David Gower appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday).
The court heard how he would visit his victims at their home in Ryde on a regular basis between January 2000 and December 2001, where he would indecently assault them.
The girls, aged 8 and 12 respectively at the time of the offences, reported the incidents to police in September last year.
Gower, of Warwick Street in Ryde, was arrested and charged with five counts of indecent assault.
During Gower’s arrest, officers located a number of indecent hand drawn images of children within a pile of magazines at his home, and he was subsequently charged with the further offence of possession of a prohibited image of a child.
Appearing at Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court on 27 September this year, Gower admitted all the offences and was ordered to sign on to the Sex Offender’s Register within 72 hours.
Investigating officer PC Mark Thomas said:
“Gower completely shattered the trust of these two girls, manipulating them into situations where he could abuse them.
“His actions were utterly appalling and he is now rightfully where he belongs – in prison.
“I want to commend the bravery of these two women, who were just children at the time of these awful offences. Because of their courage, a dangerous man is now off the streets.”
He failed to do so and was subsequently charged with failing to comply with Sex Offender Register notification requirements, and a further offence of possession of a knife in a public place after police found a knife in Gower’s car on October 1.
Gower was jailed for 15 years, with a two year extended licence period.
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