A PAEDOPHILE who got away with his crimes for more than four decades was behind bars last night after one of his victims bravely went to the police to tell of her abuse.

The woman was working in a shop on Teesside when Barry Rock walked in and she instantly recognised the balding pervert.

Now 75, the former bus driver visited the shop on four consecutive days - which prompted his victim to speak to health care professionals and then Cleveland Police.

Rock was arrested and questioned and it later emerged that he had abused another child around the same time, prosecutor Harry Hadfield told Teesside Crown Court.

He was yesterday (Monday, May 13) jailed for four-and-half years and put on the sex offenders' register for the rest of his life after pleading guilty to 17 charges of indecent assault.

The judge, Recorder Julian Goose, QC, also banned him from working with children after hearing in impact statements how he had ruined the lives of his two victims.

One blamed the abuse for ruining her marriage and work life, and said: "I have no injuries, cuts or grazes but the mental scars I am left with are harder to heal."

She added: "I am angry I have never felt what ordinary is. I don't know how my life would have been . . . reporting it to the police was harrowing."

The other said: "I have never come to terms with what has happened and been able to deal with it. I am angry I can't talk about my feelings, even with those close."

Rock, of Barrington Crescent, Middlesbrough, showed no emotion as details of the impact of his abuse were revealed in court.

His lawyer, Robert Mochrie, told Mr Recorder Goose that he has early onset of Alzheimer's Disease, and added: "He struggles to remember these incidents."

Mr Mochrie said: "He is a man of hitherto good character, he is a man of 75 years of age, and a significant period of time has elapsed since the offences.

"There is no suggestion further offences have been committed between then and now . . . he is mentally fragile to say the least and will struggle in custody."