Fury after artist, 70, who abused girls over 14-year period walks free from court Graham Ovenden, 70, molested young girls he used as models By Luke Salkeld An internationally renowned artist who molested young girls he used as models walked free from court yesterday. Child abuse campaigners said the suspended sentence on 70-year-old Graham Ovenden was 'outrageous" and sent out the message that such crimes are not taken seriously. But the judge said he had taken account of the artist's age and his 'irreversibly tarnished reputation. Ovenden, whose work has been exhibited at major galleries including The Tate in London, invited girls as young as six to sit for portraits and photographs. He would blindfold his victims and make them wear Victorian nightwear before removing the clothing and committing indecent acts, a jury heard. The artist was found guilty in April, but left court yesterday after he was sentenced insisting arrogantly that he had been the victim of a 'witch-hunt" and had 'been through considerable hell." Asked if he thought everybody was wrong apart from him, he replied: 'Since I'm probably 20 times more intelligent than most people I think that would be a very reasonable assumption. His self-assessment does not match the description of him in court as 'a paedophile, a sexual abuser of children. Suggesting that he would be appealing the guilty verdict, Ovenden added: 'I am not backing down and under no circumstances am I apologising for crimes that were never committed. The jury chose to believe the evidence that showed Ovenden was a predatory child abuser who assaulted young girls in incidents dating back between 25 and 40 years at his former home in Hounslow, West London, as well as at his studio in Cornwall. On his way to court yesterday the artist said Judge Graham Cottle, who could have put him behind bars, was a 'poisonous man. But as he left court Ovenden said: 'I am quite gobsmacked and I have to thank Judge Cottle for his judgment this time. With the language he used one anticipated getting banged up. He denied suggestions that his victims were traumatised by what he put them through as 'complete and utter b*******. Judge Cottle had told Ovenden: 'You would take the children to your studio to photograph them. They had no understanding at that time what you were doing. There can be no doubt that at that time you had a sexual interest in children. But the judge then justified his decision to suspend a 12-month prison sentence for two years, saying the artist no longer posed a threat to children. Adding that guidelines allowed for a jail term of up to five years, the judge told Plymouth Crown Court: 'I take into account your age, the age of the offences, the considerable self-inflicted punishment that comes with your convictions, your steep fall from grace and your irreversibly tarnished reputation. Peter Saunders, chief executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said: 'It's an absolutely outrageous decision. The judiciary is sending out the message that this crime is not taken seriously. Ovenden, who lives on Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, was convicted of six charges of indecency with a child and one allegation of indecent assault, relating to three children. He was cleared of five further charges.