'Opportunist' paedophile jailed for sexual abuse

A 22-year-old paedophile has been jailed for sexual offences against two young girls, who were both aged seven when the abuse began.

Connor Chard was sentenced at Taunton Crown Court on 14 April to four years in prison with a one year licence extension, in addition to a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Chard, from Yeovil, previously admitted three counts of assault by penetration of a child under 13 and a further one count of the same offence against a second child.

One of the victim's mothers told him: "You didn't just harm her in a single moment - you changed how she saw the world. You made a choice, my child did not."

The court was told how Chard subjected one young girl to sexual assaults on multiple occasions between 2019 and 2022.

The second victim fortunately felt able to tell family members very soon after Chard's first assault on her in 2024.

Statements from the mothers of both victims were read out in court, in which they described the impact Chard's offending had made on their lives.

"It is hard to quantify the psychological effect this has had," said one mother.

"A child should feel safe and because of your actions, that sense of safety was taken away from someone who was so innocent, happy, and outgoing."

The second victim statement said: "Our daughter has had a huge part of her childhood completely ruined.

"What every other families take for granted has been stolen from us.

"No child should feel permanently vulnerable and no mother should feel so helpless to protect their daughter."

The officer in the case, DC Kerrie Paxton from Avon and Somerset Police, said: "It's clear Chard was an opportunist who took advantage of children who came in his way at homes he visited, and poses a danger to young girls.

"Both young victims in this case bravely came forward independently of each other to report their abuse; showing tremendous strength and courage throughout the investigation and court process.

"The Avon and Somerset Child Protection Unit works tirelessly to protect young people and bring these types of perpetrators to justice."

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