'Dangerous' paedophile jailed for 22 years

One of his victims was abused for a period of eight years, starting when they were aged five.

An 84-year-old man has been jailed for 22 years and eight months for sexually abusing two young children.

Former teacher David John Hampshire was jailed at York Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to 13 offences, including rape and sexual assault.

His offending came to light in December 2022 when one of his victims told their parents he had sexually abused them between the ages of five and 13.

Hampshire, of Firthland Road, Pickering, has also been put on the sex offenders register for life.

Speaking after the hearing Det Con Lucie Welford said Hampshire was "incredibly dangerous" and had shown "absolutely no remorse for the horrendous abuse he inflicted".

"Hopefully today's sentencing brings [the victims] an element of closure, and they can begin to move forward with their lives," she added.

North Yorkshire Police said Hampshire had been a headteacher at an Anglo-Indian school in India before working as a teacher at a high school in Norfolk.

'Fall into numbness'

In a personal statement, one victim spoke of a "fall into numbness" which had hindered them from having healthy relationships.

The second, victim who was abused from the age of three, had reported Hampshire previously but he was not prosecuted at the time, North Yorkshire Police said.

They said the abuse had affected "every aspect" of their life "from childhood to now".

Hampshire initially denied all charges, but changed his pleas to guilty in April this year.

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