FORMER president of Porlock Bowling Club George Williams was jailed for four years at Taunton Crown Court on Friday with an order that he is on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

The 64-year-old builder, of Combeland Road, Alcombe, was said to have "blighted the childhood" of two girls over 20 years ago.

Williams, described by his barrister as "a pillar of society", was convicted in June of 13 charges of indecent assault committed from the time of the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977 to the Falklands War in 1982.

He pleaded not guilty and was acquitted of one charge of rape and of two further indecent assaults. The case was adjourned until Friday for reports to be prepared.

In June, the jury heard that the girls were touched and groped by Williams until they were old enough to be able to fend him off. One of the victims was abused through junior, middle and upper school.

Robert Davies, prosecuting, said: "It is a depressing case of taking advantage of them for his own sexual, selfish reasons at an age when they would not have understood fully what was happening or felt unable to . . . prevent it happening."

Neither girl knew about the abuse of the other until a chance remark in 1999 when they both realised they had not been "singled out for his sexual interest as children", said Mr Davies.

Williams was a founder member of Porlock and District Bowling Club and its president for three years. Character references presented to the court described him as honest, hard-working, always willing to help others and as "a first class man in every way".

Alan Large, defending, said Williams was registered disabled following a knee injury and found prison life very hard to bear while he was in custody on remand.

"Younger men treat prison as an occupational hazard, but for him every day will be a nightmare," said Mr Large.

He asked for a low sentence which would allow Williams to get through his "very difficult" time and to live the remainder of his life with his wife, who was in court to support him.

Judge Graham Hume Jones told Williams the offences were a breach of trust and committed to satisfy his own sexual needs. He had put the two victims through the embarrassment and difficulty of having to give evidence in court.

The judge ordered that Williams go on the Sex Offenders Register within three days of release from prison and to remain on it indefinitely.