A pervert who was one of four sexual abusers of a young boy in offences dating back over three decades has been jailed for six years.

Brian Batson was a teenager when he raped the victim in Medway, using violence, Maidstone Crown Court heard.

The 41-year-old father, of Southview Gardens in Sheerness, denied two charges of indecent assault, one of indecency with a child and two other serious sexual offences, but was convicted by a jury.

He had been given a suspended sentence with supervision in 1996 for indecently assaulting a girl.

Batson was just 13 when he started abusing the boy and 19 when the last offence was committed. He was plainly intent on raping the victim again during the final offence, but was interrupted, said Judge Charles Macdonald.

He and three other abusers contributed to the “terrible effect” on the boy.

One of them, David Thomas, of Westcourt Street, Gillingham, was jailed in August for 12 years for indecency with a child and two other serious offences.

As well as the sexual abuse, Thomas, now 47, knocked the boy out and tied him up.

“He says he is reporting it now because he can’t sleep at night. His wife is scared of him because his nightmares are getting worse” - Prosecutor Vivian Walters said of the victim

Prosecutor Vivian Walters said of the victim: “He didn’t make any complaint for many years.

“He says he is reporting it now because he can’t sleep at night. His wife is scared of him because his nightmares are getting worse.”

Judge Macdonald said if Batson had been an adult at the time of the offences his sentence would have been “in the region of 12 or 13 years”. He added: “This is a pretty bad case.”

Antony Hook, defending, said Batson suffered physical abuse as a child at the hands of his grandmother. He left Medway and has lived on Sheppey since the age of 20. He had a reading age of a young child.

Mr Hook said Batson had done agency work and been a volunteer with Shelter in Faversham.

“This will be his first time in prison,” he added. “It will be a terrific shock to him.”

Batson’s name will appear on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely and he will be barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.