“HE ruined my childhood and changed my life in such a negative way. It has impacted on every part of my life.” 

Those are the words of a woman who was subjected to sexual abuse during what police described as 'a three-year reign of terror' during the 1990’s when she was a child.

They were read out at Southampton Crown Court as the man responsible for the attack was sentenced to 14 years in prison, according to police.

David Sydney Kellett, 75, of Sycamore Drive, Brotton, Saltburn-by-the-Sea in Cleveland was convicted at Southampton Crown Court on Tuesday, August 14, of five counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14, two counts of gross indecency with a girl under the age of 14 and two counts of attempted rape of a girl under 16. 

He was found not guilty of one count of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14.

The offences took place against a child between 1993 and 1996 in areas across the New Forest.

In having her victim personal statement read out during the trial, the court heard that one of the biggest impacts that this experience has had on the victim was her relationships with those closest to her following the years of abuse – including past and present intimate relationships. 

She also suggested that she has nightmares where her children are being subjected to abuse by Kellett; leaving her unable to sleep properly for a number of days. 

The victim also shared how the impacts of Kellett’s actions have affected how she parents her own children. She said: “To say that I am overprotective doesn’t really describe it.

“I am scared to let them out of my sight. I find it difficult to let them go to a friend’s house to play and I can’t let them go unless I know the parents of their friends. I just don’t trust people around my children.”

Kellett was jailed at Southampton Crown Court yesterday to 14 years in prison. In addition, he was placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.  

Police Constable Nicole Houghton from Hampshire Constabulary’s Amberstone Unit, said: “This was an abhorrent series of sexual abuse against a child conducted by David Kellett and has hung over the victim now for many years; so this ruling and sentencing is a huge milestone in securing justice for the victim. 

“While what occurred during the years of abuse is unlikely to ever heal, we hope that the fact David Kellett has now been imprisoned for a significant amount of time will provide some comfort and closure to her.

“The hope is that she can now begin to put this ordeal behind her – albeit the lasting impact of his actions are immeasurable - and move forward with re-building her life, knowing that justice has now been served. 

“I want to place on record the bravery of the victim in not only reporting the incident many years later in the first place, but also the courage she has shown through what can only be described as a traumatic investigation and set of circumstances for her. She has had to re-live those moments, which will not have been easy for her at all.”