A PENSIONER who groomed and sexually abused young children in Chester was jailed for four years.
Ronald Alan Edwards, 72, of Liverpool Road, Buckley, Flintshire, had pleaded guilty to eight charges of sexual assault of a child under 13. An identical ninth charge was not proceeded with.
Judge Elgan Edwards, Recorder of Chester, sentenced Edwards to four years imprisonment at Chester Crown Court.
The defendant must also sign the sex offenders’ register for life and was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order.
Prosecutor Mark Connor said the abuse took place between May 2004 and May 2008 on children as young as four years old. Edwards had made certain admissions after walking into Blacon police station last May.
The court heard one of the assaults took place in the Chester garage where the defendant had worked and the child was told it was a game.
The prosecutor said on other occasions Edwards would also line the children up before indecently assaulting them.
Edwards warned one of his young victims they would be sent to a children’s home if they reported what was happening while another was told it was ‘their little secret’ and ‘not to tell anyone’.
Mr Connor said aggravating features included the threats to the victims, the repeated nature of the abuse and the length of time over which it took place.
John Philpotts, defending, said his client, a man of no previous convictions, didn’t deny the allegations even though it was ‘painful’ and had shown real remorse.
He was keen to take part in a sex offenders' treatment programme during his time in prison.
He had ‘handed himself in’ and had made full admissions after all the young victims had been interviewed.
