'I mourn my teenage years taken from me', says sex attacks victim

Everet Winston Higgins, of Gloucester Road in Bath has been jailed

"I mourn my teenage years as they were taken from me," says the victim of a sex attacker who has been jailed.

Everet Winston Higgins, 66, has been sentenced to 15 years after admitting historical sexual offences against two victims when they were children.

One victim of Higgins, of Gloucester Road, Bath, said she was "in a vulnerable position and Higgins exploited that".

His other victim said his actions would have an impact "throughout my life".

Higgins pleaded guilty at Bristol Crown Court to five charges, including indecent assault, causing a child to engage in sexual activity and encouraging the taking of indecent photographs of a child.

Investigating officer Carl Spicer said the defendant showed "no remorse" throughout the case.

'I do not wish bad on him'

Higgins groomed and sexually abused his first victim after meeting her in the late 1990s when she was in her mid-teens, Avon and Somerset Police said.

In a victim impact statement, she said: "As a young person, I was in a vulnerable position and Higgins exploited that. I mourn my teenage years as they were taken from me.

"Despite everything he has done to me and the subsequent police and CPS involvement as a result, I do not wish bad on him.

"But I believe that whether he understands what he is doing is wrong or not, he will never stop.

"For the protection of other young people, I hope he receives a custodial sentence long enough to mean it is not possible for him to do this to anyone else ever again."

During their investigation, detectives also found Higgins had communicated with the second victim on social media, requesting indecent images.

When he was arrested, officers found handwritten notes between Higgins and her, in which he made further requests for sexual acts.

'Tremendous courage'

The second victim told officers he had sexually assaulted her when she was aged between eight and 12-years-old.

"It has been three years since the police intervened and Higgins' actions are still impacting my life," she said in her statement.

"I anticipate they will continue to impact me throughout my life, but it is difficult to foresee how."

Mr Spicer said: "Both victims have shown tremendous courage and strength in coming forward and speaking about the abuse inflicted on them.

"Higgins has shown no remorse for the pain and anguish he's caused, which demonstrates what a manipulative sexual offender he is," he said.

Higgins was sentenced on 14 September to 14 years in jail in total, with one year to serve on licence. He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.