A New Forest paedophile pensioner has been jailed for 13 years after a series of sexual offences spanning more than a decade.
Michael Thorne, 76, was jailed at Southampton Crown Court on Thursday for the offences committed against children between May 2009 and June 2021.
He was previously found guilty of three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, two counts of sexual assault, assault by penetration and sexual activity with a child.
The court heard how Thorne, of Alderholt Road, Sandleheath, had touched three young girls on separate occasions with one of them being as young as five at the time.
During separate incidents, he would touch the girls and also exposed himself with them present.
In a statement read in court, one victim said she ended up withdrawing “more and more” after the incident and “just wanted to be on my own”.
She added: “I started to feel ashamed about what happened and started to think it was my fault.
“I didn’t think anyone would understand.
“I’m glad that the stress of the experience wasn’t for nothing. It has been a really difficult and long road to get here”.
Another victim said in a statement that it has impacted the way she feels about herself and has led to anxiety as well as trouble sleeping.
“Reporting what happened has been really difficult for me. This has all had a really big impact on my confidence", she said.
Jailing Thorne, Judge Brian Forster KC said his offending has had a “catastrophic effect”.
Referencing a pre-sentence report prepared for the hearing, he added that Thorne is considered to be “remorseless” and of “high risk of causing serious harm, sexual and emotional to children”.
But mitigating, John Dyer said his client had been of “exemplary character” before he was found guilty of these offences.
“[He] was thought of by society in general as a thoroughly useful member.”
He added that his wife would be impacted and would have to live “most of the rest of her life without her husband.”
On top of the 13-year sentence, Thorne was made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order with notification requirements for life.
Following the conclusion, Judge Forster paid tribute to the victims praising them for "having the strength to give evidence".
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