A MAN who sought sexual gratification by preying on two young girls was yesterday jailed for a total of 23 years.

Robert Hodgson, a married man of 40 years and described as “hard working” throughout his life, was also said to, “have a dark side”.

He was recently convicted on 16 sexual offences, all following unanimous jury verdicts. after a six-day trial at Durham Crown Court.

They included one of rape, and all but that and one other count were classed as “specimen” offences, as they were said to represent a course of repeat conduct.

All were denied by the 66-year-old defendant, of Windermere Terrace, Stanley, who was previously unconvicted.

The court heard he committed the offences on the girls, aged as young as five or six, up to the age of 13.

Both victims were said to have been badly psychologically affected by the crimes, while one has since self-harmed and attempted to take her own life.

She has also since found it difficult to forming close relationships with boyfriends.

Both gave emotional victim impact statements to the court at a hearing earlier in the week.

Joe Hedworth, for Hodgson, told the hearing there was little he could say about the offences as the defendant still denies committing them.

He presented four character testimonials to the court on behalf of the defendant, and added: “Before the convictions for these matters he had an entirely unblemished record.

“The verdicts of the jury have had a crushing and profound impact on the Hodgson family.

“The defendant, himself, is not of good health and suffers a number of medical problems.”

Passing sentence, he told Hodgson: “I watched these two young women give evidence and heard them read out their victim impact statements to the court, both showing great courage and dignity in doing so.

“But, at some cost, it has caused them great distress.

“You could have pleaded guilty and spared these girls.”

He added that both appear to have suffered “extreme psychological harm” as a result of Hodgson’s offending.

Jailing him, with an added two-year licence period, he said Hodgson can only be released following the mid-point of the 23 year sentence, if the Parole Board considers it safe to do so.

Hodgson was also made subject of registration as a sex offender and a sexual harm prevention order, both indefinitely.