Man Jailed for 18 Years for Historical Child Sex Offences

A 52-year-old man, Stuart John Aldridge of Bournemouth, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for historical child sex offenses against two girls.

Aldridge was found guilty of rape, two charges of indecent assault, and two counts of sexual activity with a child following a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court. The offenses spanned a decade, starting in the late 1990s.

One of the victims first reported the abuse to police in April 2019, followed by the second victim the next month. Aldridge was subsequently arrested and charged.

Sentencing took place on Wednesday, February 16th, where the judge imposed an 18-year prison sentence.

Detective Constable Jo Shewbridge of Dorset Police's Child Abuse Investigation Team stated: "These two victims have shown great courage in coming forward to report the despicable abuse they suffered at the hands of Stuart Aldridge. This led to a detailed investigation by the Child Abuse Investigation Team and, with the support of the victims throughout our enquiries and the court process, we have now been able to bring him to justice for his terrible actions. I hope this case demonstrates that we will take reports of this nature extremely seriously and will fully support victims of sexual abuse who come forward."