Pensioners jailed for sex crimes against teens
TWO pensioners have been sent to prison for sex offences in unrelated cases.
Edward Opie, aged 82, of Penpol Vean, Hayle, was jailed for seven years for the 1978 rape of a 17-year-old whom Truro Crown Court heard had a mental age of 8, leaving her pregnant.
He pleaded guilty in July and his not guilty pleas to 11 other charges of sex abuse allegedly committed between 1960 and 1988 were accepted by the Crown.
On Friday, Judge John Neligan told Opie he had "ruined the girl's life. The baby was adopted immediately and she has never seen the child."
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Joanna Martin, for the prosecution, argued the girl did not have the mental capacity to consent to sex as Opie claimed she had done.
The pensioner must serve two-thirds of his sentence before becoming eligible for release on licence.
He has also been ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for life.
Jeremy Leaning, for the defence, said Opie had led an unblemished life since the offence, was the carer for his 72-year-old wife, who had health problems, and never used force or threats to abuse his victim.
Detective Sergeant Mark Jones, one of the Penzance CID officers in charge of the three-year investigation, said: "The positive outcome in this matter is a great relief to the victim and all the people who supported her throughout this period."
Colin Moody, aged 67, from Appin Gardens, Redruth, abused his victim in the 1980s when she was between the ages of 11 and 13.
The plumbing and heating engineer pleaded guilty to six specimen charges of gross indecency and six of indecent assault at Truro Crown Court on Thursday.
Judge John Neligan said: "She was at a vulnerable and highly sensitive age and you destroyed a lot of her childhood and teenage years, and blighted her life ever since.
"You threatened suicide and she did not tell anyone because she did not want to be responsible for you taking your own life."
The judge gave Moody credit for his guilty plea and said he accepted that he was remorseful.
He sentenced Moody to five and a half years, ordered him to sign the sex offenders' register for life and imposed an order restraining him from contacting his victim.
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