DETECTIVES have praised the bravery of two women for courageously 'coming forward' to tell police about how they had been abused 15 years ago.

This week, a Lowestoft man was behind bars after being jailed for five years after he indecently assaulted two schoolgirls.

Troy Davies, 42, of Westwood Avenue in the town was found guilty by a jury last month of five offences of indecent assault on two schoolgirls dating back to the mid 1990s.

With sentencing adjourned until last Thursday for a pre-sentence report hearing at Ipswich Crown Court, the factory worker was subsequently jailed for five years

The court heard how Davies – who denied the charges – had no previous convictions and the offences had happened after he had been drinking, with the allegations dating from 1995 to 1999.

'The allegations were first brought to police in March 2010 and were fully investigated by officers trained to deal with rape and sexual assault cases under Operation Gemini – the countywide initiative to improve the service given to victims of this type of crime,' a police spokesman said this week.

'Davies was charged in June 2010 -– initially with rape and attempted rape as well as the indecent assault charges –- but he was only found guilty of the indecent assault charges.'

Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Matthew Rogers, who investigated Davies, said: 'One of the victims of this case came forward after she saw the positive way police had dealt with another historic allegation and she realised that, despite the time lapse, she could tell her story and it be dealt with in a professional and sensitive way.

'Once the investigation had started the second victim came forward and both were particularly brave to face their abuser in court.

'He meanwhile consistently denied the allegations and tried to claim they had maliciously concocted their stories, maintaining his innocence despite the fact that the two victims' accounts were corroborated by other witnesses and that their testimonies were reliable and consistent.

'Both victims have been courageous in coming forward and we are pleased that he has now been brought to justice.

'All allegations of rape and sexual assault are taken seriously by police and will be fully investigated and, as this case shows, police can uncover evidence to support allegations even years after the original abuse,' DC Rogers added.