A Hove shopkeeper whose sordid past caught up with him two years ago when he was jailed for a series of sexual assaults on girls as young as three has been found guilty of yet more attacks.
Alyn Matless, 73, who for many years ran M&B Domestic Appliances, in Goldstone Villas, was first jailed for five and a half years in 2014 for a string of attacks on four girls who were between 3 and 12 years old and known to him over separate periods from 1962 to 1989 in Hove and East Sussex.
Yesterday, he was found guilty of another 15 offences – seven counts of indecently assaulting a girl under 13, seven counts of gross indecency on a girl under 14 and one count of rape of a girl under 16 – and jailed for another ten years.
All the offences relate to one woman when she was between the ages of five and 14 in Hove in the 1960s and 1970s.
Matless, previously of Old Shoreham Road, Portslade, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court where he was given four years for indecent assault, two years for gross indecency and 10 years for the rape offence. These will run concurrently so he will serve a sentence of 10 years.
Detective Constable Leianne Blampied, who investigated the case, said: “The victim has shown enormous strength coming forward after keeping what happened to her as a child to herself.
“I would like to praise her for coming forward after so many years and am pleased she was able to see Matless punished and sent to prison for 10 years for what he put her through.
“This is another case that shows that offenders of this type can be successfully prosecuted, even after more than 40 years. We encourage anyone who suffers physical or sexual abuse to come forward, no matter how long after the events.
“You will be able to speak in confidence to experienced detectives who can also arrange access to a range of counselling and other supportive facilities.”
