Beccles man jailed for child sex offences

A 69-year-old man has been jailed after being sentenced for child sex offences.

David King, of Old Farm Road in Beccles, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday, Thursday 12 September and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. He had previously previously been convicted after a trial that lasted seven days.

King was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault on a young girl, one count of indecency with a child. He was found not guilty of a further three counts of indecent assault.

The offences all took place in the mid 1990s.

An investigation was launched in May 2020 and King was subsequently charged in July 2021.

Detective Constable Samuel Jones, of the Safeguarding Investigation Unit, said: “I’d like to pay tribute to the victim who was courageous enough to share her experiences with the police. Investigations of this nature can be lengthy and require real resilience to see through.

“This case is also testament to the ongoing efforts by the police to bring offenders to justice, regardless of time passed. Those in our community who seek to abuse or exploit children will be held to account and where possible, brought to justice. I would urge victims of any serious violent or sexual offence to come forward to the police, we have specially trained officers who will treat you will sensitivity and compassion.”

“No sentence will ever take away the trauma the victim suffered and the distressing experience to endure a trial and listen to evidence, but I hope today’s sentencing can serve as the first step towards the closure they deserve.”

If you are concerned about an immediate risk to the safety of a child, please call Customer First on 0808 800 4005. In an emergency, call the police on 999.

If you are worried that a child or young person is at risk of abuse or neglect, please make a referral using the Suffolk Children and Young People's Portal. More details on the Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership children's website: https://www.suffolksp.org.uk/concerned/

More details on what to do such as how to report it and advice if you know someone who has been abused can be found on our website: https://www.suffolk.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/caa/child-abuse/