POLICE have praised the courage of two victims of historic abuse after a man who raped them in a makeshift den at his home was jailed for 15 years.

Peter Wells abused the boy and girl from the ages of four and five and disguised his sexual assaults as games in which he took them to the den in the attic of his home.

The children were too young to realise what he was doing but realised it was wrong when he progressed to humiliating and painful sexual assaults and rapes.

Police praised the courage of his two victims after a Wells was jailed for 15 years at Exeter Crown Court.

Detective Constable Samantha Napier, of the Barnstaple public protection unit, welcomed the verdicts.

She said: ’Peter Wells seriously sexually abused very young children. I would like to praise the courage of the victims and witnesses in this case. I hope they can now try to rebuild their lives and may feel justice has been served.’

Wells, aged 63, of Butts Close, Witheridge, and previously of Exeter Road, Kingsteignton, denied one count of rape and 11 of indecency against the boy and three counts of rape and five of indecent assault against the girl.

He was found guilty of all counts and jailed by Recorder Mr Paul Garlick, QC, who told him: ’You devastated the lives of two young children.

’I have heard them describing the incidents you were responsible for during their early childhoods. No doubt they will continue to suffer the psychological effects for the rest of their lives. That is something you will also have to live with.

’This is the most serious case and the sentence must reflect the seriousness of your offences.’

During a week-long trial the prosecution alleged Wells abused the children when they were aged four to 11 during the 1990s and visited his homes at Witheridge and Kingsteignton.

The jury heard from both children how the abuse started with games which they thought was fun but moved on the painful sexual assaults.

The girl, now an adult told of the effect it has had on her. She said: ’I realised what had happened was not right. Looking back, it has ruined my life. I cannot trust anyone.’

Wells accused the victims of lying and said he had no memory of any of the incidents. He said a confession to police in a 101 call had been made under pressure.

Mr Philip Brunt, mitigating, said Wells has no other convictions and has lived a blameless life since these offences ended around 2000.