A FORMER Tory councillor was today starting a 12 month jail term for sexually abusing three little girls over four years.

Peter Cuttell, 64, was recently convicted of 15 counts of indecent assault by a jury and Burnley Crown Court heard of the "devastating," effects the court proceedings and prospect of prison had had upon him.

Sentencing Cuttell, Judge Raymond Bennett said it was sad to see somebody who had led a good and honest life in the dock.

He added each of the victims, aged between about eight and 10, had had to attend court to give evidence against him.

Cuttell, an ex-electrician and formerly of Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, had denied the allegations against him and claimed his victims had made them up. He had no previous convictions.

The court had earlier heard how the defendant had taken an overdose after one of the girls complained about him. He had fondled the children, going under the top parts of clothing but not the lower parts.

Rowena Goode, defending, said twice-married Cuttell had brought up his own family and there was no suggestion of any sort of untoward behaviour before the offences. The whole court process and incarceration had come as an enormous shock to him.

The effect of the trial and the sentence that would follow made the risk of reoffending virtually nill.

As a result of the offences, the defendant had lost contact with his family and associates and at the age of 64 this had had a devastating effect upon him. The timing of the overdose had reflected to some extent the effect of the allegations.

Miss Goode said on his release, Cuttell intended to sever his ties with the area he lived in. He found it difficult to come to terms with the prospect of making a new life for himself but recognised effectively that was what was going to happen.

Cuttell had suffered two strokes in the recent past and these had effected to some extent his short term memory.The barrister urged the court to pass a shorter rather than longer sentence.