A pervert who sexually abused a child as young as three has been jailed for 19 years.

Enrico Thor Korsche was told by a judge: “It was the most extreme and gross behaviour one can imagine.”

The 57-year-old denied sexual abuse of two victims, some of which happened in Swanscombe and dated back 13 years.

Korsche, said to have a nomadic lifestyle, was last known to live in Springfield Road, Blackpool.

He was convicted of three offences of oral rape, six of indecent assault and one of indecency with a child.

His crimes only came to light in 2011 when one of the victims confided in her teaching assistant that she thought she had been abused when she was younger.

During the police investigation, the second victim came forward and said she was also abused by Korsche.

By this time, Korsche had fled the county and police forces around the UK were put on alert.

He was eventually arrested in Aberdeenshire in October last year, after local police were alerted to a man walking along a dual carriageway.

When he gave his name to officers, it triggered an alert on the national database that he was wanted for serious sexual offences.

John Fitzgerald, defending, said Korsche was arrested some 10 years after the offending. He had no previous convictions of a similar kind.

Judge Michael Carroll spoke of the serious effect the abuse had on the victims.

But there was not enough material, he said, to impose an extended sentence for public protection.

Korsche was sentenced to 16 years for the rape offences, three years consecutive for the indecent assaults and one year concurrent for indecency with a child.

Speaking after the sentencing, investigator DC Steve Dingwall said: "Korsche's crimes spanned several years and have had a serious impact on the wellbeing of both victims.

"They were exposed to this depravity at a young age and as a consequence have been through a tremendous amount of emotional pain.

"However, despite their ordeal, both victims were brave enough to assist us with our investigations and strong enough to give evidence to the court after Korsche flatly denied committing these crimes.

"I would like to pay tribute to them for their courage and hope they can begin to move forward with their lives now their abuser is behind bars."

He welcomed the fact Korsche would be in jail for "the forseeable future".