September 2014 Sex offender who lured in girls with horse rides jailed 30 years on A man who lured two teenage girls into sexual relationships with him after letting them ride his horses has been jailed almost 30 years later. Ronald Coggins allowed the two girls to ride his horses at Waterhall and at local Brighton stables as the beginning of grooming that led to full sexual relationships in the late 1980s. In sentencing him to six and a half years in prison, Judge Richard Hayward said that the 72 year-old from Downs Way in Woodingdean had committed “an appalling breach of trust” on the girls who were 14 and 15 at the time. Following a trial lasting just over two weeks, Coggins was found guilty of seven counts of indecent assault on two females between August 1986 and June 1988. On Monday, he was jailed and placed on the sex offenders’ register and made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order. Detective Constable Tracey Dixon said: “I would like to thank the victims for their help and bravery in bringing these terrible offences to justice, having lived with them for nearly 30 years. “After all this time, it is a great weight off their shoulders. “They are very pleased with the result and now feel that they can move on with their lives.” Victims of sexual abuse can email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101 at any time.