by Keith Hunt

A sex beast is behind bars facing a possible life sentence after being convicted of a catalogue of horrific abuse spanning more than 40 years.

Seemingly respectable James Mitchell showed no emotion as a jury found him guilty of 26 offences involving eight victims at the end of a nine-week trial.

Judge Philip St John-Stevens told Mitchell, a 55-year-old former chairman of Sittingbourne Christmas Lights Association: “I am adjourning for a psychiatric report to try to understand the level of danger you pose in future.

“You must understand I am thinking of a sentence of life or an indeterminate sentence. You would not be released until you are no longer a danger.”

Mitchell, of Invicta Road, Sheerness, was found guilty of three charges of rape, eight of indecent assault, three of sexual activity with a child, one of gross indecency and 11 other serious sexual offences.

He was acquitted of six charges of indecent assault, two of indecency with a child and one of sexual activity with a child involving three other girls.

Sentence was adjourned until a date to be fixed in September.

Maidstone Crown Court heard heartbreaking evidence from victims over nine weeks.

Sarah Ellis, prosecuting, said Mitchell had comitted the abuse in many different ways over many decades.

“A number of individuals were abused a long time ago and were not able to bring themselves to formally report the allegations,” she said.

Some victims spoke to partners or counsellors about they abuse they suffered.

“you must understand i am thinking of a sentence of life or an indeterminate sentence. you would not be released until you are no longer a danger”
– judge philip st john-stevens

Miss Ellis said Mitchell abused one boy 40 years ago and threatened to kill him if he told anybody.

He molested a girl, telling her it was their “little game” and their “little secret”.
When she was older she watched a TV programme about paedophiles and said she knew somebody like that and named Mitchell.

He abused another girl and threatened her with a pair of scissors. “He told her if she screamed, he would cut her throat,” said the prosecutor.

He also forced himself on another boy and when the child wept, he warned: “Don’t tell anyone - I will go to prison.”

The court heard Mitchell’s late father Herbert had previously been jailed for similar offences.

Mitchell, who had been on bail, denied all the charges and claimed his father’s offending had “left an imprint” on his mind.
He also claimed he had been abused himself.

Judge St John-Stevens told the jury of nine, three having been discharged, that the case had been “difficult and draining” at times.

“In my experience, it is an exceptional case,” he continued.

“I am acutely aware you came for two weeks and is now week 10. You may well feel anger and frustration.

“The case is now finished. You may feel you may want to talk about the case to somebody, because it is a deeply upsetting case.

“Of course, you can talk about it now - not about what went on in the jury room, but what has happened in open court.”

The judge said he was excusing all 12 jurors from serving further for 10 years.