Peter Crane 67

Description

The offences were carried out against a boy and a girl

A man convicted of sexually abusing children has been jailed for a total of nine years, and added to the sex offenders register for life. Peter Crane, 65, of Billington Road, Leighton Buzzard, was convicted by a jury at Luton Crown Court on 21 January, of the offences against a boy and a girl which took place in the 1970s and 80s.

PC Matt McCarthy, from Bedfordshire Polices Protecting Vulnerable People team, said: Crane to this day refutes the overwhelming evidence against him including strong and brave testimony from the victims who were incredibly young when the abuse began, and have had to live with the consequences into adulthood.

"As well as the emotional impact of his offending, he has continued to put his victims through a further ordeal of a trial. No matter how much time has passed, we will always fully investigate and seek to prosecute any sexual offenders and would encourage anyone who has experienced abuse to come forward, regardless of when it happened.

As well as the nine-year jail term, Crane will remain on licence for a further year following the sentence and will be registered as a sex offender for life. It is never too late to report sexual abuse. To report a crime, or seek advice, call Bedfordshire Police's non-emergency, 24/7 number: 101. If you have a hearing or speech impairment, use our textphone service on 18001 101.

If you are concerned about a child, you can also contact the NSPCC to speak to a professional practitioner, speak to the children's social care team at your local council or contact Crimestoppers confidentially and anonymously. If someone is in immediate danger, always call 999.

The force has specialist teams dedicated to supporting victims and works with a range of other agencies to provide support. Bedfordshire Victim Care Services offers a comprehensive range of support to victims of crime, even if it has not been reported to the police. To find out more, visit Bedfordshire VCS.