A 72-year-old man has been sentenced to 18 years in jail after being convicted of numerous historical sexual offences against minors.
Between the late 1980s and 1990, Keith Gilding, 72, of Dale Road, Dereham, perpetrated abuse against two children, resulting in 14 crimes.
One of the victims endured recurrent abuse throughout their adolescence, including rape.
A second individual was subjected to indecent assault during their childhood.
One of the victims spoke of how it had affected them throughout their life and relationships, that they didn’t even “like cuddling”, even when they became a parent, they could not show their emotions, adding: “I have flashbacks still to this day”.
A second victim said it impacted on their teenage years, where they began drinking alcohol to try to forget their feelings. It was only becoming parent that helped them to turn things around but they still suffered flashbacks.
One of the victims called police to report the abuse in June 2020 while the second contacted officers the following month.
Gilding was arrested on July 16, 2020.
Gilding was found guilty of eight counts of indecent assault, two counts of rape, two counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 13 and two further serious sexual acts.
He was sentenced to 18 years in prison at Norwich Crown Court with one year to be served on licence.
DC Emma Beck said: “The sentence will hopefully go some way to seeking justice for his victims. As an adult, Gilding was in a position of trust which he abused.
“These crimes had a lasting impact on the victims, their relationships and quality of their lives. We would encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse to report or seek help.”
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 111 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.