A MAN who sexually abused nine children over three decades has been jailed.

Jeffrey Pearton, 58, of Oak Road, Gravesend, was sentenced to four years in jail with an additional two-year extended licence period.

He was also placed on the Sex Offenders' Register indefinitely.

During his trial, a jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard how Pearton started abusing children in 1974 and was finally stopped after a victim came forward.

A two-year investigation revealed a further eight victims all of whom were aged under 16 at the time of the abuse. The youngest was just eight.

Pearton was convicted of seven counts of indecency with a child, five of indecent assault, and one each of sexual activity with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual assault of a child under 13 and causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

He denied all 21 charges put before him but was found guilty of 16 of them by the jury, which took two hours to deliver its verdict.

The sentence was delivered by Judge Philip Statman.

He said: "All the children you abused were of tender years and you have been, and remain, in denial. You have expressed no remorse from start to finish.

"All of these offences were performed for your own sexual gratification and your actions have had a long-term and profound effect on your victims who have had to re-live their ordeal in court."