Donkey park founder abused girls

The former owner of a donkey sanctuary in Cornwall has been found guilty of sexually abusing seven young girls who had helped at the stables.

Alan Masters, 71, from Cornwood, near Ivybridge, Devon, founded the Tamar Valley Donkey Sanctuary near Callington. He sold it 10 years later.

Truro Crown Court found him guilty of a total of 26 charges of indecent assault and sexual abuse.

He was granted conditional bail and is due be sentenced on 9 May.

Masters had denied 30 counts of abuse over a 15-year period. He was acquitted of four charges of indecent assault involving an eighth girl.

The jury found him guilty after 11 hours of deliberations.

The allegations against him came to light when one of his victims and her boyfriend threatened and attempted to blackmail him in 2006.

Masters told the police and their investigations led to seven other girls making complaints of sexual abuse.

Masters founded the donkey sanctuary in 1989 before selling it on to new owners in 1999.