A PERVERTED former soldier from Carlisle has been jailed for five years for sexually abusing two schoolgirls.

Malcolm Israel, 59, who saw service in Northern Ireland during the 1970s, was brought to justice after one of the victims told her father what had happened, the city's crown court was told.

Israel pleaded guilty to two sexual assaults against one girl and two against the other.

The youngest victim was just 12 years old.

Prosecutor Tim Evans told the court how the abuse came to light after one of the victims confided in her father on September 7, saying she had something important to tell him.

As the child wept, she revealed how Israel he plied both herself and the other girl with cigarettes and alcohol and then invited them to watch a movie with him, which left them scared. It was after this that the abuse happened.

Mr Evans said: "The defendant was interviewed [by police] on September 8 and he said he didn't want a solicitor.

Asked why not, he said: 'It's because I'm guilty.'"

A victim personal statement revealed how both girls were vulnerable. One of the girls felt unable to speak about what happened.

Mr Evans said Israel, of Princes Court, Haig Road, Harraby, Carlisle, had a previous conviction for driving with excess alcohol, suggesting that he had an issue with alcohol.

David Wales, for Israel, ask Judge Julie Clemitson not to conclude that here had been grooming, given that the defendant had given the girls gifts of cigarettes and alcohol.

The lawyer told the court: "He maintains that this was a one-off offence."

Outlining the defendant's background, Mr Wales said he had been a solider during the conflict in Northern Ireland, when his duties had included the bodies of people who had been killed in terrorist attacks. Since separating from his wife in 1989, he had formed no intimate relationships.

Mr Wales continued: "In 2000, Mr Israel was a witness to a serious assault, and he nevertheless intervened and sustained a serious brain injury.

He had to be resuscitated more than once.

Since that injury, he had self-medicated with alcohol but he had stopped drinking an no longer regarded himself as an alcoholic.

The lawyer added that the defendant did not understand why he did what he did.

Judge Clemitson said the behaviour of one of the girls suggested there had been previous grooming by Israel.

As well as the jail term, she imposed a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prohibits Israel from having any unsupervised access to any child. She also put the defendant on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Detective Constable Matthew Rees investigated the case.

Speaking after Israel was sentenced, he said: “I’d encourage anyone who believes they may be a victim of sexual abuse or child sexual exploitation to report it at the earliest opportunity.

“We will thoroughly investigate any information we receive to bring offenders to justice. Every single report is treated professionally and sensitively and victims will be supported by specially trained officers.”

Anyone with information can contact police on 101.