A man who sexually assaulted two girls under the age of 15 in the 1980s has been jailed for 11 years.

David Whitfield, 64, was found guilty of a string of sex offences on two girls between 1981 and 1985, after a trial at Kingston Crown Court.

His crimes came to light after a victim contacted police in May 2013 to say she had been indecently assaulted in the early 1980s and an investigation led officers to find a second victim.

Both women said Whitfield, of Grand Avenue, Surbiton, was the man who abused them and he was arrested on May 31, 2013.

Whitfield repeatedly denied the attacks and was charged on January 17, 2014.

At Kingston Crown Court on Friday, January 30, he was handed the following sentences:

Victim one

  • 10 years each for two counts of rape on a child aged under 15 years old
  • Six years each for two counts of attempted rape on a child aged under 15 years old
  • 18 months for one count of indecency with a child
  • Two years for one count of indecent assault on a child aged between 10 and 15 years old
  • 18 months for one count of indecent assault on a child aged between 10 and 15 years old

Whitfield will serve the sentences concurrently, meaning he will spend 10 years in prison for the offences against the first victim.

Victim two

  • One year each for three counts of indecent assault on a child aged between 10 and 15 years old

He will serve the three one-year sentences concurrently, but consecutive to the sentences for the first victim – a total of 11 years behind bars.

Whitfield was also given a sexual offenders prevention order and placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Detective constable James Carpenter, from the Sexual Offences Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said: "The victims in this case showed great courage and strength in providing accounts to police and progressing through the criminal justice system to a trial.

“We worked very hard to pull together various pieces of evidence to send the case to trial despite over 30 years passing since the offences happened.

“No matter how hard or difficult, we will seek out the truth and we encourage victims, no matter the length of time that has passed, to come forward.”