October 2017 Retired baker jailed for sex offences against three young girls A pensioner was jailed for six and a half years today after being convicted of sexual offences against three young girls. Leslie Brindle, of Madoc Street, Porthmadog, denied all 11 charges which included causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity and exposing himself. He claimed one of the side effects of his strain of epilepsy was a possible tendency to undress without realising. But the jury at Caernarfon Crown Court rejected the 70-year-old retired baker’s claims and found him guilty of all charges. Sentence had been adjourned for reports. Jailing him, judge Mr Recorder Wyn Lloyd Jones said the offences were committed for his own “selfish sexual gratification”. “During the trial you showed no remorse. You thought of yourself and did not think of your victims at all,” he said. “These are all very serious offences. They are so serious only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified.” During the six-day trial in September the jury heard Brindle had previously been arrested for an indecent exposure offence in 1970. The jury heard he exposed himself to one girl, then aged nine or ten, and forced her to watch him undertaking a sexual act in the late 1980s. The other allegations involved similar offences against two other young girls between 2013 and 2016. Summarising victim statements from the girls, Elen Owen, prosecuting, said Brindle’s offences had a significant effect. The victim from the late-1980s had “never been able to forget it”. She had been too embarrassed to speak about Brindle to anyone and had received counselling. “She says it is a great relief to have finally been able to share her problems with her family,” she said. The girls from the recent offences were said to be angry at Brindle and cannot trust people anymore. Brindle strenuously denied the offences. When asked during the trial why the accusers had come forward, Brindle said: “They have a very vivid imagination”, dismissing the similarity of the offences over such a wide time frame, as “coincidence.” Brindle told detectives he suffered from epileptic seizures and believes he may have been having a seizure at the time of one of the alleged offences, which he said was a known medical condition where sufferers were known to undress themselves without realising. Sion ap Mihangel, defending, said Brindle realised a prison sentence was inevitable and would find life behind bars difficult. “He is a man of considerable age and has medical issues which will make any time in custody difficult,” he said. In addition to the prison sentence Brindle’s name and address will be on the Sex Offenders Register for life and an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order was made. September 2017 Epileptic paedophile warned he faces jail A paedophile pensioner who blamed his epilepsy for some of his heinous crimes has been warned he faces prison. Leslie Brindle, 70, was today found guilty of a ‘catalogue’ of sexual attacks on young girls. The jury took four hours to find Brindle, guilty of all 11 charges which include three counts of inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity and of indecently exposing himself to young girls. Brindle, of Madog Street, Porthmadog, had used his epilepsy and resulting seizures to justify some of his revolting crimes. At Caernarfon Crown Court Judge Recorder Wyn Lloyd Jones, warned the former baker that he faces a prison sentence. He bailed the pervert until the sentencing hearing on October 20. Brindle, who was comforted by his family upon leaving the dock, has been ordered to sign the sex offenders ’ register. The judge said: “There can only be one sentence for a catalogue of serious offences against young children, and that will be prison. “I will be merciful and extend your bail so you can sort out your affairs. “But be under no illusions, you are looking at prison.”   The week-long trial heard evidence from some of Brindle’s victims, who said he had exposed through open windows in his home as well as engage in sexual activity. Some of the offences took place 30 years apart. Prosecutors proved that Brindle had also intentionally exposed himself to girls by pulling down his jogging bottoms and was arrested for indecent exposure in 1970. After the latest allegations were reported to police last summer, a woman came forward to report that she had also been subjected to abuse by Brindle during the late 1980s. But when asked by police about the allegations, Brindle said: “They have a very vivid imagination”, dismissing the similarity of the offences over such a wide time frame, as merely “coincidence.” He claimed could not have committed the offences because he suffered from erectile dysfunction. Sion ap Mihangel, defending, urged the judge to consider the defendant’s age and poor health. Brindle’s sentencing will take place at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday, October 20, to allow a pre-sentencing report to be compiled.