A MAN with an IQ of just 70 has been jailed for three years and put on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely after indecently assaulting three disabled women.

David Burgess was sentenced for a total of five offences against three different women, some which took place in their own homes, after standing trial.

The 30-year-old, of Pinehurst Road, will now serve 18 months before being released on licence.

Swindon Crown Court heard yesterday how one of his victim’s uncles struck him around the head with a walking stick when he found out what had happened.

The personal statement of one of his victims said: “I would say the whole process, from going to the police to going to court, has been very stressful.

“I have been told David Burgess has been making threats to me.

“Because we used to live around the corner, I felt very intimidated by him, so our housing officer helped us move to where we live now, where I feel safer.

“I am ashamed and embarrassed at what happened, and having to describe it to others.”

Daran Samat, defending Burgess, said he had considerable learning difficulties himself.

“This is a young man who, through his frailties, is vulnerable himself,” he said.

“His victims are not targeted because of their vulnerability, he sees an opportunity and he takes it.

“He is somebody who has a very low IQ, which is below 70 and in the lowest 0.2 per cent of the population.

“He is somebody who doesn’t give much thought to what he is doing, or appreciate the offence he is causing.”

Recorder Ian Lawrie QC, sentencing, told Burgess: “The aspect of this case that causes me greatest concern is you persisted in committing these offences over a period of time which demonstrates that even after one victim reported the assault, you carried on.

“You essentially made threats to one and for two of them the assault was in their own home.

“There is a lack of maturity, which can never be an explanation why it is you chose to sexually assault people.

“While there are deficiencies you operate under, they do not excuse what you did, justify, or explain it. You are capable of understanding when something is wrong.

“On every occasion when you saw an opportunity to sexually assault you took it without a care in the world.”

Burgess was sentenced to three years for assaulting one victim, two years for two assaults on a second victim, and three years for two assaults against the third victim.