A man has been jailed for 24 years after a series of sexual assaults on four young girls.

Long-distance lorry driver Trevor Carter was sentenced today after being convicted of 21 offences.

The 55-year-old, of Church Lane, Shadoxhurst, near Ashford, committed the crimes in Kent and Sussex between seven and 10 years ago.

After finding him guilty at Hove Crown Court following an eight-day trial, the jury heard Carter had a previous conviction in 1983 in the name of Trevor Cripps for similar indecent assaults.

Carter committed sexual offences against three girls in Kent.

He was found guilty of two charges of rape and four indecent assaults on one girl; seven indecent assaults and one charge of indecency with another; and indecent assault on a third girl. All the victims were from the Ashford area.

Carter was also found guilty of committing three indecent assaults, one assault by penetration, two counts of causing and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence against a girl in Crawley.

Those offences were reported to police in 2010 and Carter was circulated as wanted.

Carter’s crimes in Kent came to light when one of the victims, now an adult, reported the offences to police last year.

Specialist child protection detectives then uncovered the other crimes and arrested Carter at his home.

DC Maria Cutter, from Kent Police, said: “It was thanks to the bravery of the first Kent victim in coming forward that Carter’s full offending history became apparent.

“Learning that his offending had been reported to police, our other victims realised that they had not been alone in being abused by this man, which gave them the courage to come forward and report further offences.

“I hope this case shows that no matter how long ago crimes were committed, we will vigorously investigate reports of historic sexual abuse and work with other police forces to bring sexual offenders like Carter to justice.”

Carter was given a sexual offences prevention order, prohibiting from any contact with children under 16. He will also have to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.