A FORMER Hampshire village police officer has been refused leave to appeal against his conviction.

Gordon Hunter, 64, was jailed in 2010 for seven years for abusing two boys, with Judge Andrew Barnett telling him he was a “disgrace to the uniform”.

Hunter, of Dene Way, Ashurst, was convicted of 14 offences including gross indecency with a child, indecent assault and attempted buggery. He had denied all offences but was convicted by the jury.

At the Court of Appeal in London, Hunter argued that the jury had been misdirected by the judge.

The first victim was abused while Hunter was a constable based at Whitchurch between 1983 and 1992. Hunter later moved to Ashurst in the New Forest where he targeted another boy between 1995 and 1998. Neither victim can be named for legal reasons.

One victim told the Echo: “The fact he tried to appeal has upset me.

“I am still afraid to go to sleep, I still have panic attacks, he still haunts me. He took away my childhood,” he said.