Former Avon and Somerset police officer who indecently assaulted two girls spared jail

A former police officer has been handed a suspended sentence for indecently assaulting two young girls in the 1990s.

John Marsh was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault following a trial at Bristol Crown Court last year.

The 89-year-old was handed a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, in December 2022.

The former officer, from Worle on the edge of Weston-super-Mare, must also serve 40 days’ rehabilitation, obey a year’s curfew, and pay each of the victims £5,000.

Following the sentencing, one of his victims described how she hopes Marsh's conviction will give other people who have experienced assaults the confidence to come forward.

'All the shame and guilt rests on him'

She said: “I’ve lived with this for most of my life, this was a man I trusted who I held in high esteem and looked upon as my ‘uncle’ being that he was a very close family friend and also a high-ranking retired police officer.

“I’m glad I had the courage to come forward and hope this gives courage to any other possible victims. Some justice has now been served and I hope he feels utterly ashamed of himself for all the awful things he has done.”

DC Vicki Evans, the investigating officer, said: “John Marsh took advantage of these children’s innocence for his own gratification, and at the sentencing hearing the judge made it clear that all the shame and guilt rests on him.

“I hope the bravery of the survivors in this case gives other victims of sexual offences the courage to come forward and report incidents to us, no matter how long ago they were committed.

“We will do everything we can to achieve the outcome that’s best for them.”