A man who abused young girls in Thanet in the 70's and 80's has been jailed for 10 years.

Shane McDonald, 50, of Queens Park, Holyhead, Anglesey, was convicted of 16 charges of indecency with a child and indecent assault after a trial at Canterbury Crown Court.

It ended this week with McDonald being told by Judge Adele Williams that he had been found guilty on clear and compelling evidence.

McDonald was between 16 and 26 when he committed the offences but the children were very young at the time.

He was said to have taught them sexual practices and threatened them if they told anyone. Some of the assaults took place in bushes in local parks.

Some of the victims were also attacked at places in Ramsgate.

Judge Williams told McDonald that having seen and heard the victims, now adults, give evidence, she had no doubt the abuse had lived with them.

"I have read impact statements from three of them which leaves no doubt that the abuse has had an adverse affect on their lives and continues to affect them to this day. This is the cruel mischief of child sexual abuse and you took your perverted pleasure with each of these victims," the judge said.

She added that McDonald had shown no insight or remorse into his offending. "I have seen and heard you give evidence and consider you to be quite a manipulative person," said Judge Williams.

McDonald's lawyer, Peter Gower, QC, submitted the offences happened when McDonald was very much younger and he had no similar convictions.

McDonald will be on the sex offenders register and subject of a sexual offences prevention order indefinitely and is also banned for life from working with children.