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A pensioner has been jailed for sexually assaulting a teenage girl almost 40 years ago.

Farmer Evan Heddwyn Jones worked as a driver for the local council in northern Carmarthenshire and sexually abused one of the girls in his care.

His victim, Esther Hoad, has waived her right to anonymity to speak out.

Swansea Crown Court heard that Ms Hoad was aged between 14 and 16 at the time of the offences, which were committed in the late mid-to-late 1970s.

Jones, of Harford, Llanwrda, stood trial accused of 19 sex offences — he was acquitted of 15 of them but found guilty of four counts of indecent assault following a trial.

James Hartson, defending Jones, said he was held in “exceptionally high regard” in his local community as evidenced by a number of personal references handed to the court — including ones from a headmaster and a minister — and had a close-knit and supportive family.

Mr Hartson added that Jones, now 71, had been a hard-working farmer all this life, and had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Judge Keith Thomas told Jones he had “taken the opportunity” of doing the school-bus run to sexually assault his victim.

Jones was jailed for a total of three years, and was told he would be placed on the sex offenders' register for the rest of his life.

Speaking after the hearing, Ms Hoad, now 53, said Jones started the abuse by touching her leg, calling her “sweetheart” and saying he thought the world of her.

She said: “The first time he kissed me on the lips I was in absolute distress. He said ‘I love you’. I was hysterical.

“I went into the house and I was bawling my eyes out.”

Ms Hoad added: “It was a dreadful time.”

She said the abuse continued until she left the area at the age of 16.

Ms Hoad said: “The abuse went on and on and on and I thought it was my fault so I didn’t tell anyone.”

She added: “I didn’t know who to trust.”

Esther didn’t officially report Jones to the police until she was 52 and Jones was later charged.

She is now urging other sexual abuse victims to speak up and seek help.

She said: “I’m in a privileged position that it went to court and that it was successful and that he [Jones] was found guilty.

“He is in prison now where he no longer poses a threat to children and that is key.

“There is hope for anyone who has been abused. Forty years later I got justice in court and it is never too late to come forward.

“Keep telling people until you find someone who will listen and who will help.

“It doesn’t matter how long ago it happened there’s always the chance that you can get help.”

Esther Hoad's husband was at court to see his wife's abuser being sentenced and talks about the effect it has had on her life

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Dyfed-Powys Police said that as there was no CCTV at the time and no possibility of retrieving any DNA or forensic evidence the investigation relied on the victim's statements and from her diaries, which included details of the abuse.

DC Lee Davies, the officer in charge of the investigation, said: "The impact of this abuse has had a lasting and damaging effect on the victim. It has taken great courage for her to come forward and to stand before a judge and jury to provide her evidence.

“I applaud her for finding the confidence to come forward to ensure the man that sexually abused her as a teenager was convicted.

“I hope this outcome gives other victims of historical sexual abuse confidence that convictions are possible and if they find the confidence to report the offences to Dyfed-Powys Police we will carry out a thorough and detailed investigation to bring others to justice.”