Dangerous serial sex attacker jailed for 20 years after brave victim gives harrowing account of suffering

Gary Short, of Frederick Street, South Shields, targeted his young victim from when he was just five and carried out the sickening offences whenever he could get the opportunity.

The 49-year-old denied 13 charges of attempted rape, indecency with a child and indecent assault during a trial at Newcastle Crown Court but was found guilty of all offences by a jury last year.

Today, his brave victim, who is now an adult and gave evidence at the trial, bravely faced his attacker again as he read a victim impact statement to the court from the witness box.

The man said: "I feel every aspect of my life has been shattered by Gary Short.

"Even to this day it still affects me, I exist day to day feeling trapped.

"I get emotional for no reason, sometimes angry for no reason.

"It has had a huge impact on my relationship with women and my ability to hold down a job. I lost my job for having too many days off work due to becomingupset and stressed.

"The triggers seem to be everywhere, it can be being introduced to someone called Gary or it can be going for a coffee and walking into the toilet."

He added: "Not once has he ever accepted responsibility for what he has done or apologised.

"He has made me relive the abuse again.

"I was so young, so vulnerable, so powerless and he knew that.

"I hope he finally realises the damage he has caused and justice is served by him being removed so he can't hurt another child."

Judge Robert Adams sentenced Short to 20 years behind bars with an extended licence period, which will involve "strict" conditions, for another year.

Short must sign the sex offender register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for life.

The judge said the offences, which are too graphic to detail, happened at various locations, including "public lavatories and alleyways".

Judge Adams told him: "At the time of the offending you clearly were a dangerous offender, you created a significant risk of causing serious harm."You continue to pose a high risk of such offending.

"You currently pose a significant risk of causing serious harm to members of the public."

Abigail Bright, defending, said he has been involved in heavy, labouring-type work since he was a teenager and is now in poor physical health.

Miss Bright said: "He will find an immediate custodial sentence all the harder to bear and all the more onerous to bear than a man of his age without any real physical ill health."

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