TWO women who were sexually abused as children by a 15-year-old north Cumbrian schoolboy have outlined the devastating impact of his crimes.

Their statements were read at Carlisle Crown Court as a judge prepared to sentence 31-year-old Longtown man Martin Beattie, whose victims were still at primary school. He denied wrongdoing but he was convicted after a trial.

Prosecutor Kim Whittlestone described how the defendant committed the offences while volunteering for a local charity, which allowed him to "mentor" younger children.

He abused the girls during a weekend trip to a location outside Cumbria.

Acting effectively as a voluntary youth support worker, Beattie carried out the sexual assaults while sitting between the girls in darkened a cinema room as the children watched a movie.

The girls - vulnerable because of their "extreme youth" -  froze in shock and fear, which left them unable to speak out, despite suffering pain as the abuse happened. They were also fearful of reporting what happened.

The police investigation began 15 years later after one of the victims reported what had happened to the police.

In an impact statement, one victim told the court: “I am still having flashbacks about the incident… I wake up through the night with nightmares and struggle to get back to sleep.”

As grew older, she realised what happened was wrong and abnormal, but she assumed it was "too late" to report it to the police and feared she would not be believed.

The woman had anticipated that the jury’s guilt verdicts would give her closure but she reported still feeling angry. “It’s affected my mental health,” she said, saying it took her a long time to feel comfortable with people.

In social situations, she is on “high alert”, waiting for something to happen. She also worried about bumping into Beattie.

The second victim also provided a statement. She said: “Following the incident, I didn’t go away again on any weekend [trips] as it scared me. I didn’t understand what had happened to me.

“As I grew older, and reached the age of 13, I began to realise what had happened and to experience flashbacks and anxiety.”

The abuse left her fearful of going to school and of being around male teachers. “I didn’t want to be around males,” she said. “I struggled with my mental health. If I was outside, walking and saw male, I’d cross the road.”

During the trial, she had nightmares and would wake in a cold sweat, her heart racing. Since the age of 16, she had needed medication to combat depression, at times feeling so unmotivated she did not want to leave her bed.

She used the tablets and at times alcohol to “bock out” what happened to her, she said.

Denise Fitzpatrick, for Beattie, said he committed the offences when he too as young, an immature 15-year-old.

In his adult life, he was a hard worker and an “excellent” work record, having been with current employer for more than a decade. At school, he was bullied, isolated and lacking in confidence.

A person of previous good character, Beattie, of Old Road, Longtown, was himself  vulnerable. “It was an opportunistic event of an experimental nature by an immature 15-year-old,” said the barrister.

Judge Michael Fanning described the case as “complicated.” He noted that the assaults happened on a “single occasion.” The victims had frozen and described Beattie as being “strong and stubborn.”

Despite having no further contact with each other after the trip, the woman's accounts of the abuse provided as adults "mirrored" one another.

Judge Fanning told Beattie: “You were a respected mentor, treated as a positive role model for younger children who attended the camp.” Yet charity officials gave Beattie an inappropriate level of responsibility, said the judge.

“You knew what you were doing was wrong, but you did it anyway,” continued the judge.

The passage of time had proved two things: firstly, that there has been no further offending by Beattie; and secondly the extent of the harm that the defendant had caused to his victims.

But Judge Fanning noted the “scientific fact” that the brain of a 15-year-old is very different to that of an adult aged over 25. “I do not conclude that you remain attracted to young girls now,” said the judge.

Nor did he believe Beattie’s “adult brain” would respond as it did when he was 15. “You were in a position of authority in circumstances which I regard as entirely inappropriate,” added the judge.

Judge Fanning accepted that the abuse was a "one-off” event.

He imposed a three-year community order, which will include 30 rehabilitation activity days and 300 hours of unpaid work. Beattie will be on the Sex Offender Register for five years.

He was also barred from working with children of vulnerable adults.

Read more: 'It's never too late': Plea to survivors as Carlisle pervert jailed