A TRAINEE deacon who sexually abused two young girls has been jailed for nine years.

Preston Crown Court heard how John David Royal, 47, abused the two victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in Rossendale.

The court heard the youngest of the victims was just six-years-old when the abuse started.

Royal, who had found religion in recent years and was training to become a deacon at a church in Carlisle, was found guilty of ten counts of indecent assault.

A series of supporting letters from ministers described him as ‘gentle’, ‘gentle’, ‘honest’ and ‘loving’.

But Judge Heather Lloyd said Royal, of Heysham Road, Heysham, had not displayed any of those characteristics when forcing his victims to go through a trial and by his continuing denial of his offending.

Judge Lloyd said: “I imagine you would have been frightened when your offending finally came to light. But a good and honest man would have admitted what occurred and not put the victims through a trial.

“You have continued to deny your offending and in the pre-sentence report you have been nasty about the victims.”

One of the victim’s, whose victim impact statement was by prosecutor Robert Wyn-Jones, said she was struggling to forget the memories of what happened to her as a child, and she has difficulty trusting men.. She also said the trial was the lowest point in her life and what Royal had done to her felt like a ‘life sentence’.

In her victim impact statement the second victim said she feared there would be repercussions as a result of the jury’s verdict and had resorted to sleeping with a knife in her bedroom. She also said she felt like Royal had ‘robbed her of her childhood’ and she has flashbacks about what Royal had done to her.

Because of his lack of remorse and the nature of the offending, Judge Lloyd considered whether to brand Royal a dangerous offender and give him an extending sentence.

But defence barrister Mark Barlow said his client could not be deemed dangerous because the criteria had not been met and there was no further evidence of any similar offending.

Mr Barlow said: “This defendant accepts he is going to be sent to custody. It is simply a question of how long. Your honour will see the many references from people who think very highly of him.

“Since he was released from his custodial sentence in 2000 for theft-related matters one could say he’s led a blameless life and has assisted with helping other people.

“This man suffered a stroke in the early period of this year and your honour is aware of the impact it has had on my client’s general health.”

Barlow was ordered to sign the sex offender’s register for life and made subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

He will also not be released until he has served more than half of his sentence and a parole board deems that he no longer poses a risk to the public. He will then be monitored for a further 24 months.

Speaking after the hearing Det Cons Lisa Jeffery said: “The two victims have shown a great deal of bravery in coming forward and I hope they are now able to take some comfort from this result and begin to move forward with their lives.

“I also hope it also sends the message that this type of crime will not be tolerated in Lancashire and that any victim of a sexual offence should report it to us safe in the knowledge they will be taken seriously and will be treated compassionately and sensitively at all times.”