Gloucester: Womens' evidence sees serial sex offender jailed

Timothy Fawlk has been jailed for a string of sexual offences carried out over a 30-year period.

Five women have been praised for their bravery and courage after their evidence helped convict the man who sexually abused them as young girls.

The women said they are glad justice has been served after Timothy Fawlk, 54, of Park End Road, Gloucester, was jailed for 25 years.

He was found guilty of a series of sex offences committed between 1988 and 2018.

One of the women said she now felt she could put the ordeal behind her.

The five women gave evidence at Cirencester Nightingale Court, where Fawlk had denied 23 counts of rape and sexual abuse.

'Amazing support'

They encouraged others who had been subjected to abuse to report it.

One said: "Finally I can put behind me what I've been carrying around for many years. It's never too late to come forward. The support from the police and GRASAC (Gloucestershire's Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre) has been amazing."

Another said she now felt she had "closure" on that part of her life.

"I would encourage any victim of this sort of crime to never worry about telling police," she added.

'Great dignity'

Gloucestershire Police Det Con Peter Rowsell said the women had conducted themselves with great dignity, with Fawlk showing no remorse.

"I would like to commend the bravery and the courage of the victims. They disclosed the most horrendous sexual abuse," he said.

Fawlk was sentenced to 25 years in prison at Gloucester Crown Court on Thursday.

Judge James Townsend told Fawlk that he was extending the sentence by giving him an additional five years on parole.

He also imposed an indefinite restraining order banning Fawlk from any contact with his victims and placed him on the sex offenders' register for life.