A paedophile who raped a young girl twice and indecently assaulted four other young girls has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Laud Lawrence, 66, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court yesterday for committing 13 sexual offences between November 1971 and December 2003.

He pleaded guilty to the offences on February 26 this year following a lengthy police investigation.

Lawrence, of Wordsworth Road, Abingdon, first struck some time between Nov- ember 7, 1971, and November 9, 1973, when he indecently assaulted a 10-year-old girl on at least two occasions.

The victim did not speak to anyone about the assaults until 2003 when she feared Lawrence might strike again.

Rachael Drake, pros- ecuting, described the horr- ific abuse the victim suffered at the hands of Lawrence more than 30 years ago.

She said: "He Lawrence told her not to worry. She was scared and tried to push him away. She remembers the same act being attempted a few weeks after the first, but she was able to pull away. Over the years she was too scared to disclose the abuse."

After her revelations, other victims emerged, and Lawrence admitted indec- ently assaulting a young girl between the ages of 10 and 14 on five separate occasions between September 23, 1989, and September 25, 1993.

Lawrence also admitted raping another young girl on two occasions between November 2, 1999, and November 4, 2001.

Ms Drake said: "The defendant would find opportunities to get her separate from her father to take her to McDonald's and other places and then assault her in a layby."

Lawrence also pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting the young girl on two different occasions and to indecently assaulting a seven-year-old girl at Christmas 2003.

He also sexually assaulted another girl between May 1980 and May 1981.

Ms Drake added: "This sort of behaviour has a profound effect on the way people live their lives. The recent abuse has had an impact on those who were abused some years ago."

Tony McGeorge, defending, said Lawrence's conduct while he served in the RAF was exemplary.

Jailing him, Judge Hall said: "Apart from this, you have lived a productive life and people have spoken well of you."

But he added: "It was only two years ago that you abused someone and I cannot see how you will not do it again."