A HAVERFORDWEST man abused two children when he was aged just 10 or 11.

Joshua King, now 28, appeared at Swansea Crown Court to be sentenced after being found guilty of rape and four offences of sexual assault at trial.

King had been accused of raping a boy and sexually touching a girl between 2006 and 2007.

The court heard there was “a significant age disparity” between King and the male victim, whilst the female victim was around a similar age to the defendant.

Prosecutor Thomas Scapens read to the court a statement from the male victim, who said that King’s offending has “impacted me for most of my life”.

The female victim, via Mr Scapens, said: “It took over a decade to come to terms with what happened to me.

“I am unable to form healthy long-term relationships.”

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Dyfed Thomas, appearing for King, said that the defendant respected the verdicts of the jury.

He said King had a “difficult upbringing” and saw things “as a child that he shouldn’t have”.

The court heard he had been exposed to pornography at home from the age of nine, and had no sexual education until his teens.

Mr Thomas said there had been no repeat offending in the almost 20 years since these incidents.

King, of Jenkins Close in Haverfordwest, was acquitted of a second charge of rape, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and two offences of sexual assault.

Judge Catherine Richards said she had to consider what sentence King would have received as a 10 or 11 year old.

“Around the age of nine, you were exposed to pornography in the home,” she said.

“You had no sexual education at the time, and did not have any understanding of what you were seeing.”

Judge Richards said she accepted that it was only after King received sex education at the age of 13 that he realised the effect of what he had done.

“I’m satisfied there is genuine remorse here,” she said.

The judge added that she was satisfied that King had pleaded not guilty “due to a lack of clarity over your age at the time” – as the dates given by one of the victims would have put King as aged nine – under the age of criminal responsibility.

She sentenced King to a 12-month community order for rape, and a 12-month conditional discharge, running concurrently, for the remaining offences.

King must register as a sex offender for five years, and must complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.