John James Whelan, 64, of Toothill, has been jailed for 19 years after being found guilty of sexual abuse against two children after appearing at Swindon Crown Court today.
The offences against two girls happened between 1995 and 2001, and between 2003 and 2004.
Despite the abuse happening a number of years ago, the victims, who are now adults, finally felt able to speak out about it relatively recently.
It was reported to Wiltshire Police in January 2019 and what followed was a lengthy and detailed investigation to bring Whelan to justice.
He had previously stood trial and been found guilty of numerous offences, including rape, indecent assault and indecency with a child.
Detective Constable Lisa Coffey, from Swindon CID, paid tribute to the two victims.
She said: “Both victims in this case have been deeply affected by Whelan’s crimes.
“The nature of the offences had a devastating impact on them, but they found the courage to come forward, speak out and report it to the police. They have remained strong and resilient throughout.
“I hope this sentencing sends out a message. Time is no barrier to obtaining justice. If you have suffered a sexual offence and can find the courage to come forward, we will take your report extremely seriously and investigate it thoroughly.”
If you have been a victim of sexual abuse, please speak to somebody. You can report it to the police by calling 101, or you can go to the police website to find details of other agencies who can provide support. You can read more here
You can also seek support and counselling from the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) based at the New Swindon Sanctuary – they can be contacted on the 24-hour helpline 0808 168 0024.
