December 2007 Sex offender jailed for 13 years A SOUTHAMPTON man has been jailed for 13 years for a string of serious sexual offences on children in the 1970s. Former hospital porter David Connell was put behind bars after a court was told how he subjected two girls to years of abuse. Connell, 61, had earlier pleaded guilty to a catalogue of offences including rape, gross indecency and indecent assault which took place about 30 years ago. Southampton Crown Court heard how he would perform the vile acts “in an alcohol and drug-induced stupor”. Initially, after he was arrested in October last year, Connell denied some of the charges brought against him. He later owned up before a trial was due to start. In mitigation, the court heard how Connell had been abused himself as a child and was an alcoholic at the time the offences were committed. He had, the court was told, stopped abusing the girls when one of them plucked up the courage to confront him. Handing out his sentence this week, His Honour Judge Derwin Hope said Connell had subjected his victims to “a horrific catalogue of sexual abuse” He said: “There is no doubt at all that a very lengthy sentence is called for to reflect the serious nature of your abuse of those girls.” Connell was also placed on the sex offenders’ register.