A FORMER soldier was jailed for seven-and-a-half years yesterday for child sex offences he committed 45 years ago after a detective tracked down a missing witness.

The judge commended Detective Constable Fran Donovan, of Cleveland Police's child protection unit.

Detective Donovan began a search for the witness in the middle of George Preston's Teesside Crown Court trial for sexually abusing two girls and a boy between 1963 and 1973.

She searched through housing and social services records for Norfolk and Suffolk until she found a former partner of one of Preston's daughters.

The woman said that she was present when the daughter revealed his depravity to her mother after she was contacted by the victims. The mother died four years ago.

Preston was calling his daughter as a witness to deny the disclosure, but then she refused to give evidence.

Preston, 76, of Marrick Road, Hartburn, Stockton, pleaded guilty to six charges of indecent assault and one of inciting sexual activity with a child.

The judge commended Det Donovan to her Chief Constable for the fairness and sensitivity of her investigation.

Judge Peter Armstrong told Preston, who worked at B&Q, that, but for his age, he would have been jailed for nine years.

He was ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

The judge said that the effect on the victims was absolutely devastating, and that the male had attempted to kill himself.

He said :"A pre-sentence report indicates that you show no remorse and have no insight into the effect of your offending on your victims.

"You only pleaded guilty at the very last moment after they had given evidence and been cross-examined.

"You had given evidence. It was only through smart detective work by the officer in the case who traced a woman witness that completely undermined your defence and prevented your daughter from giving perjured evidence.

"It has had the effect that at last, your victims have seen you admit in public for the first time all you did to them.

"But before that, your behaviour was clearly in contrast to the dignity and bravery they showed."

The judge said he hoped that Preston would read the victim impact statements made by the three, who were as young as five when he began preying on them.

He said that at least Preston's late wife had been spared the sight of him in the dock facing those charges.