Gosport: Paedophile Shaun Hewer, 65, jailed for nine years

Shaun Anthony Hewer was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court, having previously been found guilty of five counts of indecently assaulting a girl under the age of 14.

Hewer, 65, of Bury Road, Gosport, was sentenced to nine years behind bars, plus 12 months on licence.

He will not be eligible for release until he has served two-thirds of his jail term.

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Police Staff Investigator, of the Fareham & Gosport District Investigations Team, Nikki Ginn, said: “I would like to praise the victim in this case for the bravery she has shown in ensuring this child abuser has been brought to justice.

“I am so pleased for her that justice has finally been served in this case.

“After more than 40 years of having to deal with what Hewer did to her, she has now seen him put behind bars, where he belongs.

“While I know this result won’t rid her of the memories of what he did to her, I truly hope it allows her to move forward with her life, safe in the knowledge that he can no longer harm any other children.

“I also hope this sentence will reassure other victims that they will be listened to when reporting similar incidents to us, even if a considerable amount of time has passed since the offences took place.

“We encourage others who have suffered this type of abuse to come forward and speak to us.

“We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously and work hard to bring offenders to justice.

“This should also be a very clear message to other offenders out there, who may have committed crimes many years ago, that we will always work tirelessly to ensure the past catches up with you.”

A police spokesperson added: "Anyone who has any concerns about child abuse should contact us on 101.

"We recognise that not everyone has the confidence to speak to police, but there are support services available that can help you if you are a victim of abuse."