St Albans man convicted of sexually abusing two girls under ten

A fifty-one-year-old has been convicted of sexually abusing two girls under ten over a period of three years.

Gary Jennings, of Upper Lattimore Road, St Albans, sexually assaulted two girls on a number of occasions between 2000-2003 from age seven to ten and four to seven in Hemel Hempstead.

He was convicted at St Albans crown court on Friday (13) of 14 charges of indecent assault and indecency with a child. He was also convicted of causing actual bodily harm to one of the girls, who he hit with a belt.

Jennings, who is also known as Christian De Vriess, received a nine-year jail term with a further two years on license because the judge deemed him to be a risk to children.

Patricia May, defending, said Jennings continued to deny abusing the girls. She said he had no other sexual convictions.

Judge Andrew Bright QC told him: “You pose a high risk of serious harm to children. I am passing an extended sentence to protect the public and in particular from young girls.

“The psychological damage you caused has been set out in the victim personal statement of one of them.

“You will serve two-thirds of the 9 year sentence before the parole board can consider your release. You will only be released if the parole board consider it is safe to do so. You will be on licence to the end of the 11 year sentence.”

Jennings must register as a sex offender and abide by the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.