A SHOCKING incest case that saw two women abused over a number of years in the 1970s and 80s showed it was never too late for perpetrators to face justice, a children’s charity said.

Two men, a Wiltshire father and son, were this week convicted of incest after a five-day trial at Swindon Crown Court.

The jury heard how the father, now in his 80s and ruled unfit to plead, had begun molesting his older daughter after she had started at secondary school. His younger daughter was just four years old when the abuse started, continuing until she was around 11.

READ MORE: Jury finds Wiltshire man responsible for shocking abuse of his daughters

Reacting to the case, a south west spokesman for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said: “As these abhorrent crimes took place decades ago, the abusers may have thought they had got away with their crimes.

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The case was heard at Swindon Crown Court

“This case is a sobering reminder that it is never too late to come forward and for perpetrators to be held accountable for their actions.

“The impact of abuse can last a lifetime and it’s crucial that these two women now have support to help rebuild their lives.”

He urged adults worried about a child to call the NSPCC’s helpline on 0808 800 5000. Children and young people can contact Childline on 0800 1111.

The comments followed a harrowing case at the crown court. Over a week, a 12-member jury heard how a Jehovah’s Witness had demanded his two daughters perform sex acts upon him.

The girls, who grew up in the Wiltshire countryside, described a dysfunctional family set up. They would be beaten by their mother, who they claimed showed them little love.

One of the women said she had never known a normal father-daughter relationship: “The only time he wanted to know me was for his satisfaction.”

On one occasion, the father simulated sex on his younger daughter on the landing of their home. In a nearby room, a friend of the girl’s mother lay dying of cancer. She said: “While he was doing this I had to listen to her dying. She was gargling. She was rattling.”

In the four decades since the abuse, the woman was said to have suffered from severe depression. It wasn’t until her counsellor suggested it that she approached Wiltshire Police to report the abuse.

The father was found guilty of 12 counts, including incest, indecent assault and inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity. The son was convicted of one count of incest.

Adjourning the case for sentence, Judge Jason Taylor QC told the son: “You have been convicted by the jury of an incredibly serious offence. You must know that a significant custodial sentence is inevitable.”