A CHEPSTOW man who sexually abused a young boy when he was just a teenager himself, was jailed for four years last Wednesday (14th August).

52-year-old David Aston subjected the boy to serious sexual offences between 1976 and 1978 when they were living in the Forest of Dean.

The boy was around age five to seven at the time of the offences, which started when Aston was 15.

The court was told of how Aston went on to live a decent and law abiding life, working hard and raising a family.

Justice finally caught up with him this year when the victim, now 42, told police of his ordeal at Aston's hands 35 years ago.

Last month a jury convicted Aston of eight offences of indecency and gross indecency against the boy.

Judge William Hart said: "Your reputation has been devastated because the sin which has lived with you all these years has been exposed to the light of day. Your good name has gone forever."

The victim had told the jury during the trial that he was forced by Aston to commit, or be subjected to, sexual acts on wasteground near their homes, in a barn, and in Aston's bedroom.

Aston threatened to kill the boy and harm his sister if he told anyone what had happened.

In a victim impact statement the victim said his life had been blighted by the abuse and he had received a "life sentence".

Jason Coulter, defending, said Aston still denies his guilt. He said that since Aston's conviction his family had been forced to flee their home because of the reaction of neighbours.

"I'm afraid that once the local paper reported the jury's verdicts and the nature of the allegations that had been proved, the neighbourhood who were once friendly and decent towards him, turned very much the other cheek," he said.

"Effectively days after the jury verdict, he and his partner and his stepdaughter and her husband had to be removed by the police from the family home, such was the strength of local feeling brewing."Continued from Page 1.

"They are now living at an address elsewhere which I do not intend to reveal in open court."

Mr Coulter said that since the offences Aston had led "a decent, lawful and productive life, raising a family successfully and working hard to support and maintain that family.

"After conviction he was very swiftly suspended by his employers and his employment was terminated pretty swiftly. Now he has nothing and he knows what his fate will be today."