An RAF serviceman who groomed young girls to satisfy his sexual urges was today starting a five-year jail sentence.

A judge told Philip Erby, 50, he had carried a terrible secret for 25 years of sexually abusing four girls while he was on leave.

Erby, who served in the Falklands, Northern Ireland and Cyprus, showed no emotion as the jury of ten women and two men convicted him of eight charges of indecent assault and three of indecency with a child after a week-long trial at Bradford Crown Court.

Five of the convictions were by a majority verdict and Erby, of Daffels Wood Close, Bierley, Bradford, was found not guilty of one indecent assault.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC told him: "You have led an impeccable life, certainly in the last 25 years devoted to your job and your country through long service with the RAF."

He said witnesses had described him as a man with the highest standards, morals and principles.

But the judge said that Erby, as a young man mature enough to know better, had come home on RAF leave and taken out his sexual urges and played out his sexual attractions with lively, attractive and vivacious young pre-teenagers, who he had groomed, molested and abused.

He said one bewildered young girl had been scarred by her dreadful experience and he had left an indelible mark on two other victims who he had given gifts before taking advantage of them whenever possible.

He had abused another girl over a period of years in a callous and appalling way, the judge added.

The judge went on: "This wasn't experimentation. This was grooming which has led to great distress and partial destruction of that young lady's formative years. Even now it is quite clear she has, and the others have in a lesser degree, been seriously, permanently and tragically affected.

"I have to impose sentences that reflect the gravity of your acts and all our revulsion, and let the message go out again that those who have been abused in the past will be listened to and see the way in which those - and there must be many victims - are treated with dignity and are believed invariably by juries."

Erby committed the offences from the late 1970s until 1991. One woman said she was abused from the age of eight until 13.

Police became involved after the partner of one of the victims confronted Erby at his home after she told him what the defendant had done to her as a child.

Erby, who pleaded not guilty to all the charges, claimed the women had made up the allegations.

His stepdaughter sobbed and clung to his aunt as the guilty verdicts were announced and shouted to him: "I'll look after Mum."

After the case Detective Inspector Chris Stones, of the Bradford Child and Public Protection Unit, said the outcome would provide some closure for the victims.

He added: "It sends out the very clear message to offenders that no matter when their offence was committed they can still expect a visit from the police when a complaint is made.

"Victims should be reassured that no matter how long ago their abuse occurred the police will always vigorously pursue any allegations."