January 2010 Bristol man jailed for sex acts on children A Hartcliffe man convicted of sexually abusing two girls has been jailed for four years. Mark Russell, 36, of Hartgill Close, got the girls alone and touched them improperly above and below their clothes, Bristol Crown Court heard. He denied charges but was convicted after a two-week trial last month. Imposing the jail term, Judge Julian Lambert told him no treatment was available for him due to his denials. He said he viewed him as a first-time offender who could change and develop as a result of custody and represented a low risk of re-offending. The judge drafted a sexual offences prevention order banning Russell from contact with children aged under 16, excluding family members. Russell was prohibited from working with children for life and must register as a sex offender for his lifetime. Christopher Quinlan, prosecuting, told the court the offences were aggravated by the young age of the victims, who were as young as six when the abuse began. Russell also asked the victims to keep quiet about what was happening. The court heard he touched the girls intimately and got one of the girls to carry out a sex act on him. Michael Cullum, defending, said Russell was a man of previous good character whose conduct throughout the trial was “impeccable”. Mr Cullum questioned whether a sexual offences prevention order was necessary but offered nothing to suggest it would be wrong. He stressed that a significant degree of the offending involved improper touching over clothing.