Father and son child rapists who carried out a brutal rape attack on a child near the west coast of Wales, have been sentenced to a total of 33 years imprisonment.

Arthur William Bowditch, 73, and his son Arthur Stephen Bowditch, 54, carried out their attacks on children as young as three.

One of the infants was left so badly injured by William Bowditch that she required surgery following the assault. 

Stephen Bowditch raped another young child at an undisclosed location near the west coast of Wales.

Statements from the victims were read out in court.

"I have been a victim but now I’m a survivor," said one, "and facing my abuser is my way of taking back control of my life."

Another said that the ‘degrading’ things that had been carried out to her as a child had taken away her childhood. However she has now forgiven her abuser.

"This helps me forget, let go of my hate and not let the defendant take any more of my life".

William Bowditch and Stephen Bowditch committed multiple counts of rape and indecent assault on the girls during the 1980s and 1990s however it isn't believed that they comitted them together.

They were previously convicted at trial of the offences and appeared before Swansea Crown Court this week for sentence.

Bowditch Jnr has a previous conviction from 1989 for indecent assault on a girl under 14.

Judge Huw Rees said the defendants' victims had been "denied a childhood" by their actions, and said the statements from the women had been "harrowing" to listen to.

He said it was clear that the abuse inflicted by the defendants had profoundly affected the women while William Bowditch had acted out of "degenerate and unhealthy sexual lust".

William Bowditch, of Selby Crescent, Swindon, Wiltshire, was given a 21-year extended sentence comprising 20 years in custody followed by a one-year extended licence.

Stephen Bowditch, of Morse Close, Chippenham, Wiltshire, was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Both will be registered sex offenders for the rest of their lives.

Custody photographs of the defendants are not available.