A BRIDGWATER man has been jailed for a string of historic child sex offences.

Peter Carl Martin, 61, was found guilty of 16 counts of non-recent sexual offences against children.

He was jailed at Bristol Crown Court yesterday, July 18, and was given a 15 year sentence. 

All the offences took place on girls in the Bridgwater area between 1972 and 1985.

DC Philip John said: “Firstly, I would like to pay tribute to the courage of Martin’s victims.

“They have not only had to endure the vile abuse at the hands of Martin, but they have had the added pressure of giving evidence at the trial.

“Martin has refused to take any responsibility for his actions.

“I hope that this sentence reinforces the fact that we will always listen to victims of crime and seek to prosecute those responsible.

“It doesn’t matter when an offence took place, we will always act in the best interests of the victim.”

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: "We are determined to work with our partner agencies to make sure we are consistently tackling sexual abuse in all its forms.

"We’re committed to ensuring all our officers and staff are able to spot the tell-tale signs of exploitation and abuse to safeguard children across the Force area.

"We would urge anyone who has any suspicions about children or young people being exploited or abused to please tell us.

"Every piece of information is important and we all have a role to play in keeping our children and young people safe from harm.

"We would always urge victims of any crime to come forward and talk to us.

"You can call us on 101 or report online.

"Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be left anonymously."

An NSPCC spokesman for South West England said: “Martin’s despicable crimes, committed over two decades, remain truly shocking to this day and yet he still refuses to take responsibility for his evil actions.

“His helpless victims were young, vulnerable girls who were the victims of a range of sexual offences. rape, gross indecency and sexual assault along with a range of other offences.

“The lengthy jail sentence reflects the extremely serious nature of his offending. It is right that Martin is now behind bars.

“Abuse can ruin childhoods and affect individuals into adulthood, so it’s vital anyone affected can access the support they need rather than suffer in silence, as sadly so many do. ChildLine, 0800 1111, is available 24/7 to offer confidential advice. Meanwhile, adults concerned about a child’s welfare can call our helpline on 0808 800 5000.”

  •  If you don’t want to report a rape or sexual assault to the police, you can call The Bridge - a Sexual Assault Referral Centre available 24/7, 365 days a year on 0117 342 6999. The Bridge provides medical care and emotional and practical support to anyone affected by rape and sexual assault. You can call The Bridge for help and decide about talking to the police later. Information can be found online at www.thebridgecanhelp.org.uk/