A "dreadful" paedophile sexually abused two young girls and threatened that if they ever disclosed the abuse he "knew people on the outside". He left one of his victim's suicidal and with severe flashbacks.
Gareth Workman, 60, of Newport, was said to portray himself as a "loving, caring and generous man" but was anything of the sort. His abuse of the first victim, a teenager under 16, began with "innocent hugs" before he grabbed her bottom and breasts.
He asked her if she would "snog him, f*** him or blow him" and told her if she was "30 years younger he would have sex with her".
Read more: Woman with thousands of 'harrowing' child abuse images pretended to be mute at trial
The second victim was even younger when Workman kissed her on the lips, orally raped her, sexually assaulted her with his fingers, and made her touch his penis. He threatened the victim with violence, telling her he "knew people on the outside" and "it would only take a phone call".
The defendant denied the offences after the victims notified the police but he was found guilty of rape, sexual assault by penetration and penetration following a trial. The court heard he was of previous good character.
Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams described Workman, of Sandpiper Way, Duffryn, as "an odious man child" and told him he had caused "incalculable harm" to his victims. A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Tuesday heard victim personal statements from both victims, who read out their own statements.
The first victim said: "It made me feel so guilty, I was so young and he made me feel I was trying to ruin his life but he would forgive me. He has stolen so many years of my life... He's ruined my childhood and my teenage years." She said she trusted Workman and now struggles to trust men in general.
She added: "The stress of his actions will affect me physically and mentally for years. I have anxiety and struggle to keep in situations with lots of people." The victim said she was "broken hearted" when she learnt Workman had abused another victim. She said: "He doesn't even feel sorry for what he did to me. He carried on increasing the emotional damage with no remorse... I felt like the little girl again during the trial, I felt disgusted by his behaviour.... It's completely changed me and scarred me emotionally. This will be with me forever."
The second victim said there are years of her life she will never get back due to Workman's abuse. She said: "I have lost so much time and have to work so hard not to lose my adult life altogether. I suffer severe flashbacks when I don't know what was real or not... The big problem in my head is having room for trauma."
She said she thought Workman's abuse was "normal" or she "deserved it" and self harmed as a way to cope. She said she had taken a number of overdoses during throughout abuse. The victim said: "The only way I thought it would stop was to leave the world... I'm still terrified of him and he knows people on the outside and he said they would come for me, those words are stuck in my head and won't leave me alone... He cuts through everything in my life, everything revolves around him because he filled my head with trauma."
In mitigation, the court heard Workman was a hard-working man. During his remand in prison, the defendant injured his back and he has become a healthcare representative for others in the prison.
Judge Williams said: "The court has heard the victims speak with great eloquence and clarity about the ruinous effects you have had on them." He told the victims their unearthing of "that dreadful man" will inspire others to disclose abuse they have suffered.
Workman was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, with an added five years on licence. He will serve two thirds of the custodial period before a parole board decides whether he can be released.
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