Nine years for Carlisle rapist

The judge called the crimes 'systematic abuse'

A 67-year-old man from Carlisle has been jailed for nine years after being found guilty of sexually abusing three young girls.

Carlisle Crown Court was told the offences took place between 1964 and 1987.

George Harkness, of Hasell Street, Currock, Carlisle, was found guilty of three charges of rape and 10 of indecent assault.

The former haulage business owner had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

School bus

His victims were aged between six and 17 at the time of the offences.

Judge John Phillips said the offences only came to light after one of his victims went to the police when she found he had started working as a school bus driver.

Harkness who used to run his own haulage business was ordered to be registered as a sex offender indefinitely.

The judge called his crimes the "systematic sexual abuse of three young girls".