Former Pc jailed for raping girls

A former Cleveland police officer who raped two young sisters has been jailed for 10 years.

Joseph Sample 62, abused his victims for six years while serving in Ormesby and Redcar 25 years ago, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Sample, of Hereford Road, Guisborough, pleaded guilty to seven rapes and 12 charges of indecent assaults.

One of the girls was put into care because Sample had initially denied the charges, the hearing heard.

'Abhorrent' behaviour

The other girl made an attempt to kill herself, the court was told.

In 1997 his victims again reported what had happened to them but Sample accused the girls of lying and maintained his denials until his court appearance on Friday.

Anne Zimbler, defending, said Sample, who joined the police in 1979, could not explain why he had carried out the attacks.

She said: "The only thing that he could do to show his remorse was to plead guilty."

Judge George Moorhouse told Sample: "It is quite clear that you took advantage of these two young people and the consequences of your actions have adversely affected their whole lives.

"Your behaviour was so abhorrent that a custodial sentence for a long time was inevitable."