A PAEDOPHILE pensioner has been jailed after he was convicted of sexually abusing three girls almost 50 years ago.

Reginald Mullis abused the young girls in the 1970s, causing them trust issues that have continued to this day.

Denying the charges in a trial, the Swindon OAP attacked the character of his victims and still denies abusing them.

Sentencing the now 83-year-old on Friday, Judge Euan Ambrose referenced their victim statements to the court: “Those statements speak of the long shadow your offending has cast over their lives.

“The effect that they describe is all too common in cases of this sort.

“They describe your behaviour has had a significant effect upon their ability to trust others, specifically when their own children and grandchildren are concerned.”

He said they were caused “additional distress” by the trial and added: “It may be tempting to say on your behalf that these were matters that happened a very long time ago.

“But when one reads the victim personal statements and sees how your behaviour has affected your victims over the years, the effects continue.

“So these are not historical footnotes, they are offences that have had a lasting effect.”

Resisting the urge from Mullis’s barrister to avoid sending his client straight to jail, Judge Ambrose said the offences were too serious for any other sentence and jailed him for a total of two years and ten months.

Mullis, from Passmore Close in Covingham, had faced 11 charges, with the jury at Bristol Crown Court finding him not guilty of eight and guilty of three counts of indecent assault.

He was hauled back into the dock on Friday (July 29), where he was sentenced by Judge Ambrose.

His barrister, Nick Cotter, had sought to persuade the judge that a non-custodial sentence was appropriate.

He said that “he is a gentleman struggling with age”, and has “some difficulties and growing memory problems”.

Mr Cotter also said the impact on his wife of losing her husband would be “devastating to her”, and that the “prospect of rehabilitation is large”.

“There are reasons that can properly be endorsed [for a non-immediate custodial sentence], not less the lack of offending in the last 40 years.

“Other than punishment, prison will achieve very little.

“His loss of reputation has profoundly affected and punished him.”

Citing an alternative to immediate custody, he said: “It will in my submission properly punish Mr Mullis but ensure he continues on his route for rehabilitation and discharge all of the other ingredients that would be in Your Honour’s mindset.

“Any sentence needs to be tempered by mercy.”

Passing sentence, Judge Ambrose said: “The defence of this case has involved an attack on the character of each of these complainants, and I see that is maintained in the pre-sentence report.

“There is no sign of remorse or guilt.”

“You are 83 years old and this is your first appearance before the court. Your convictions represent a very significant loss of reputation which has hit you hard.

“I take into account the fact these offences were committed a very long time ago and there is no suggestion you have offended since.”

Mullis was jailed for a total of two years and 10 months.

This was made up of an 18-month sentence on one count, a six-month concurrent sentence on a second count committed around the same time, and a 16-month consecutive term for a third count committed at a later date.

Mullis has also been told to sign the sex offenders’ register.