POLICE have praised the bravery of two abuse victims as their attacker starts a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

Paul Monty, now aged 54, was jailed at Teesside Crown Court after being found guilty of having sex with two schoolgirls decades ago, after he groomed them while he was in his 20s.

He tied them up and had sex with them in his home and at his family furniture shop in Stockton, said prosecutor Anthony Dunne.

Decades after the abuse, the two victims bravely came forward to give evidence as adults of the sexual encounters in the 1980s.

Monty, now a married father from Elton, near Stockton, denied the 13 charges but was found guilty after a week-long trial.

Investigating officer, Temporary Detective Sergeant Andrew Richmond, said: “Paul Monty took full advantage of two young girls.

"I praise the courageous victims for coming forward and giving evidence in court and would hope that they can now move on with their lives.”

Sentencing the former doorman and shop owner, Judge Peter Bowers said his victims were “flattered by the attention he gave them”.

The judge said: “It is clear that the abuse had an effect on their adult lives and it is clear they both continue to suffer the impact of what happened when they were teenagers, even though it is 25 years ago.”

During the trial the court heard that both victims had a crush on Monty as he gave them sweets and kissed them in his car.

They both wrote impact statements and spoke of their “deeply held feelings of shame and embarrassment” about what happened to them.

Jim Withyman, mitigating, said Monty still denies the charges, although he admitted he had sex with each of them when they were 18.