Clint Eastwood mountaineer jailed for sex attacks on little girls

Former Royal Marine David Fletcher, 64, visited schools in Hull to talk about his book Hunted: A True Story of Survival, which told of his daring escape from a bear on an Alaskan mountain.

He was an experienced mountaineer who gave advice for Clint Eastwood's Hollywood blockbuster The Eiger Sanction after successfully climbing the notorious Swiss peak.

But a judge described Fletcher as "thoroughly wicked" after he was convicted of sexually assaulting two girls, aged five and eight, after "bribing" them with cash.

The traumatised youngsters were forced to give evidence after Fletcher claimed they were lying. But he was unanimously convicted by a jury and jailed for nine years.

Sentencing Fletcher at Hull Crown Court, Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said: "You debauched each of these three young children. Two of the young girls have been adversely affected.

"You have caused them to give evidence and have effectively accused them of telling malicious lies about you while you have masqueraded on bogus respect. You are a thoroughly wicked and depraved individual.

"You thoroughly deserve this sentence. Justice has now been done."

Fletcher, who had no previous convictions, had denied eight charges of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault.

He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Fletcher sold 20,000 copies of his book which recounted an epic journey to climb Mount Hess in Alaska in 1980.

He began mountain climbing during seven years service with the Royal Marines in the 1960s, and went on to have a 20-year climbing career in which he scaled some of the world's most difficult peaks.

He escaped from life or death struggle with a bear after accidentally killing its cub.