Man jailed for sexually assaulting young girls

Stephen Burrows committed the offences over a period of 13 years

A man has been jailed for 15 years for historic sexual assaults on children aged as young as eight.

Stephen Burrows, also known as Marc, 47, of Fitkin Court, Redhouse, Swindon, Wiltshire, was found guilty of the offences after a trial in August.

He committed two counts of sexual assault on a child under 13, assault by penetration and causing a child to engage in sexual activity and was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on Thursday.

He carried out his offences between 1999 and 2012, taking advantage of his victims while staying in their homes.

When Burrows was in his 20s he assaulted his first victim when she was between eight and 10 years old, assaulting her when she got up for a drink in the early hours of the morning.

He assaulted his second victim on two occasions when she was aged between 10 and 12 years old.

'My whole life was taken'

In a statement read out in court, one victim said: “It shouldn’t need to be said, but no child should have to go through what I did.

“I feel like my whole life was taken from me at that moment when this adult decided to do what he did to me as a child.

“I feel that the man who did this to me should get what he deserves – the passage of time doesn’t change anything for me and I feel as strongly as I did the day it happened.”

'He's taken my self worth'

Another victim said in a statement: "Mark's decision all those years ago has affected my life in many different ways.

"He didn't just take my childhood, but he has impacted my relationship with other people.

"He's taken my self worth, confidence and made me feel incapable of being loved."

Det Sgt Chris Hughes said Burrows had "manipulated" the two girls when they were "just children".

“As adults, years after the abuse had stopped, they found the courage to report what happened to them to the police," he said.

“I would like to commend them for their bravery in coming forward and for their conduct throughout this trial."

He added that it was "never too late to report child sexual abuse", and encouraged anyone who was abused as a child to come forward to police.