A FORMER fireman who abused two schoolgirls almost twenty years ago has been jailed for 15 years.
David Holland, 55, sexually assaulted the girls, and raped one of them, during the 1980s when he was the owner of a gun shop in South Shields.
It was only after his victims bravely broke their two-decade silence Holland, who has worked for the last 18 years as a solicitors' representative at police stations, was brought to justice.
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Newcastle Crown Court heard how after his arrest last year police searched his home and found an " armoury" of illegal firearms and ammunition including a revolver, two rifles, a shotgun and ammunition.
Judge Guy Whitburn sentenced him to a total of 15 years behind bars.
Holland, of The Wynds, Esh Winning, County Durham, had admitted some charges against one of his victims but had denied most of the offences including rape and indecency with a child.
The judge told him: "You have committed extremely serious sexual offences against two children.
"You required both these girls, now women, to give evidence."
One of the victims told police: "He thought he was above the law and I feel proud I have gone through this process" after Holland was convicted.
Defence barrister Richard Davenport said Holland has no memory of some of the sexual offences which could be explained because he has some form of tumour in his brain.
Mr Davenport said Holland had kept the guns and ammunition from his days a firearms dealer and had not acquired them for criminal purposes.
Judge Whitburn said the firearms charges, which Holland had admitted, were a serious aspect of the case
The judge said: "It is not that you held those firearms with any criminal intent, you had been a legitimate firearms dealer, but if anyone had burgled your premises they would have come across what was a mini armoury."
Holland must sign the sex offenders register for life and has been banned from ever working with children.
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