Gardener who raped two girls.

Gardener Jailed for 16 Years for Raping Two Girls

John Gosling, from Grange Close in Three Bridges, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for the "appalling abuse" of two girls, including rape and other sexual offenses.

Gosling was convicted of 11 offenses at Lewes Crown Court on September 14. The crimes, which occurred in the late 2000s and late 2010s, included raping a girl under the age of 13 and raping a girl between the ages of 13 and 15.

The court heard how the victims, who are not known to each other, came forward and disclosed the sexual abuse they had endured. Gosling was told he must serve a minimum of ten and a half years before being eligible for parole.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was also imposed, restricting Gosling's access to children, and he will remain a registered sex offender for life.

His 11 convictions included assaulting a girl under the age of 13 by penetration, two counts of assaulting a girl aged 13 to 15 by penetration, and charges of attempting to engage girls aged 13 to 15 in both penetrative and non-penetrative sexual activity.

Detective Constable Angela Harvey from the Brighton Safeguarding Investigations Unit stated, "Gosling committed appalling abuse which has had a lasting impact on the lives of the two girls involved. I would like to praise them for the courage they showed to come forward and report their experiences to the police."