Darlington man jailed for child sex abuse over three decades

Joseph Telford, of Major Street in Darlington, was found guilty of six rapes and 12 indecent assaults

A 76-year-old man who sexually abused children over three decades has been jailed for 25 years.

Joseph Telford, from Darlington, abused three children during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Durham Police said his "harrowing" actions included one victim being abused at least 60 times during a four-year period and another for six years starting from the age of eight.

Telford was found guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault and six rapes.

His crimes came to light in 2017 when one of his victims reported what had happened to police, a force spokeswoman said.

'Haunting and devastating'

In a victim impact statement read out in court, one of his victims said: "This man not only took away from me my childhood innocence, and the enjoyment of growing up without fear of further abuse, he also took away my dignity and belief in myself.

"He created fear and nightmares that have remained with me throughout my life. He made me feel dirty and, at the age I am, I still feel dirty.

"The reason it took me so long to report it was because I have been conditioned by him to believe that no-one would ever believe me.

"I know that at the age I am now, this may sound silly or unbelievable to someone who has not been the victim of prolonged sexual abuse, but it is as a direct consequence of the years of horrendous and painful sexual abuse that he exerted control over me and put me in unbelievably immense fear of him. He conditioned me to believe that I was so worthless, no one would ever believe me."

Investigative officer Heidi Weir said: "This has been a harrowing investigation, which has had the most haunting and devastating impact on the victims."