JOHN MILES FROM WORCESTER SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES

In August 2008, John Miles, a 61-year-old man formerly residing on Elm Green Close in St Peter's, Worcester, was sentenced to two years in prison for multiple child sexual assault charges. Last month, he was convicted by a jury of four counts of sexual assault, involving a girl aged six to eight and a nine-year-old boy during the 1990s.

Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC stated in court that "The damage caused to children by abuse can be considerable," as Miles wept in the dock at Worcester Crown Court. In addition to his prison sentence, Miles is required to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years and is subject to an indefinite sex offenders' prevention order. Upon release, his license will be extended to three years to allow participation in a probation-led treatment program.

During the trial, prosecutor Jonas Hankin revealed that the victims did not know each other. The girl, now 18, had reported the abuse to police four years prior, but formal charges against Miles were only brought after the boy disclosed his experience. Miles, now living on Lockhill in Upper Sapey near Bromyard, assaulted the girl by groping her private parts and attacked the boy over a two-month period, performing a sexual act on him.

The two counts related to the boy were described by the judge as sample charges from a larger number of offenses. The court heard that Miles, who previously worked in computer maintenance, once whispered to the girl, "I should not be doing this." He assaulted the boy after watching him play a computer game. Both victims were told to keep quiet about the abuse but were not threatened, according to defense lawyer Tim Sapwell.

Miles was described as a man of previously good character who had lost his reputation and been disowned by his family. He also suffers from depression and a skin disease, which may make incarceration especially challenging for him. Mr. Sapwell added that Miles had previously found solace in his Christian faith, which he now feels he has lost.

Miles refused to accept the jury's verdicts, but the case was characterized by the judge as involving short-lived and opportunistic offending.