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CONVICTED: George Cribbett

A convicted paedophile is back behind bars after being convicted of a catalogue of child sex abuse offences.

Retired bus driver George Cribbett was yesterday found guilty of nine indecent assault charges dating back more than two decades.

The 64-year-old from Castle Lane, Bournemouth, was acquitted of two counts of indecency with a child and two indecent assaults.

During his trial at Bournemouth Crown Court jurors heard how the father-of-three had molested the girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, from the age of eight until she was 14.

After the verdicts were returned on the second day of their deliberations, Cribbett was remanded in custody. He will be sentenced on August 29.

Widower Cribbett was jailed at Winchester Crown court for nine months in June 1993 for two counts of indecently assaulting a female under the age of 14.

After the case investigating officer DC Bryan Colley from Dorset Police's child investigation team praised Cribbett's victim, who is now in her 20s, for giving evidence against him.

"Reliving her ordeal in court was a harrowing experience but, thanks to her bravery, justice has finally been done. I would urge others who have been abused, no matter how long ago it happened, to come forward.

"Just talking about their experiences can help. The complaint doesn't have to be taken any further but will be recorded. Both the police and the courts take these cases very seriously."

Cribbett's victim, a married mother-of-one, told the Daily Echo: "I decided to finally take a stand after reading a newspaper article about a woman who had done the same.

"I'm very relieved he has been locked up again. I moved away from Bournemouth because of the memories of what he had done to me all those years ago.

"Counselling has helped and I would urge anyone who has been abused, even if it was many years ago, to speak out.

"The responsibility, shame and blame lies with the abuser; not the victim."

7:54pm Thursday 7th August 2008

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