Friends tell of shock at businessman sex charges (From Daily Echo)
When news happens, text SDE and your photos or videos to 80360. Or contact us by email and phone.
Friends tell of shock at Ringwood businessman sex charges
11:00am Tuesday 15th January 2013 in News
Friends tell of shock at businessman sex charges
CHARACTER witnesses spoke of their shock that a Hampshire businessman and former parish council chairman was facing sex charges involving three girls.
Retired magistrate Roy Farmers, who for six years acted as local chairman of the Lord Chancellor’s advisory committee, described Robert Giddings as “a great friend, who was caring, upright, approachable and accessible”.
Mr Farmers added: “He is highly respected in the community and he is a friend I shall support in the future.”
Pamela Colmar, who acted as cleaner for Giddings at his home and his New Forest sawmill, said she had known him since he was 12.
“He is one of the nicest people you could wish to meet,” she said.
Giddings, a former school governor, of Wayside Road, Ringwood, has denied four different counts of historic indecent assault which the prosecution claims reflect multiple incidents.
Proceeding
