A CONVICTED paedophile who molested four young girls at a Kent riding stables has been jailed for six years.

Trevor Scott was only caught after he was stabbed by the mother of three of the youngsters. Police then discovered he had sexually assaulted two more girls, and had also served six years in prison for a serious sexual assault.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that Scott met four of his victims, aged between four and nine, when the girls went horse-riding at Capstone Farm Country Park in Chatham.

Three of them told their mother that 47-year-old Scott would touch them intimately both over and under their clothing while at the stables.

However, on this occasion the police were not alerted, said prosecutor Jonathan Higgs. It was not until a year later that they became involved after the girls again revealed what had happened to them and one of the mums attacked Scott with a carving knife.

She went to his home in Windmill Street, Gillingham, in August last year and stabbed him several times.

Scott was treated in hospital for multiple knife wounds to his face, arms and abdomen. The mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was eventually sentenced to 21 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, after a judge remarked she had been "extremely provoked".

"It was as a result of the general police investigation that other matters came to the attention of the police," explained Mr Higgs.

The court heard that Scott met his two other victims, aged eight and 11, after befriending their parents through his work at a Citroen garage in Medway and for a Chatham car firm.

"He became a trusted friend of the family and was allowed to take the children out unsupervised," said Mr Higgs.

Scott also told the eight-year-old girl that he often visited fetes where majorette troops performed and could help her to join.

The older girl told police that Scott would pin her down on the sofa, pull down her underwear, put his hand over her mouth and commit a sexual act.

"She said it occurred on a weekly basis over a two-year period and that he assaulted her at every opportunity that had arisen," said Mr Higgs.

The younger girl was also molested on a regular basis, usually while sitting on Scott’s lap.

Scott admitted eight offences of indecent assault between February 2002 and April 2004 and one of indecency with a child between June and September 2003.

He had orginally pleaded not guilty to five of the offences and was due to stand trial in March next year. However, the court heard that Scott told his legal team he wanted to change his pleas.

"He accepts, understands and recognises that society, children in particular, need protection from him," said Simon Clarke, defending.

The court was told Scott was first convicted of a sex offence in 1989. Then, in 1992, he was jailed for six years for a serious sexual offence. On that occasion he again befriended a family with children and targeted a 12-year-old girl.

Mr Clarke said Scott was of low average intelligence and lacked social skills. "He finds himself in situations where he is unable to control himself," he added. "He is a relatively simple individual and has not learnt the proper way to behave.

"He is unsophisticated, uneducated and very inadequate, and while none of that justifies his conduct it may go some way to explain it."

Sentencing Scott to six years concurrent on each offence and an extended licence period of three years Judge Andrew Patience QC said: "These offences were grave because they represent not only the grossest breach of trust but a calculated breach of trust by someone who was drawn sexually to associating with young children of these ages.

"It is clear to me, as it appears to be clear to you, that young children in the community need protection from you."

Scott was also banned from working with children, made subject to a sexual offences prevention order and told to sign on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.