A Broadstairs man who sexually abused three children has been given a 16-year jail term.

Judge James O’Mahony told Simon Alford that his behaviour had been disgraceful and perverted.

“You have no insight at all into your criminal sexual tendencies,” Judge O’Mahony said.

He added that Alford had cynically and manipulatively got youngsters involved in the criminal justice system for his defence when he knew all along that he was guilty.

“You lack insight and the manipulating of your offending shows that you are dangerous,” Judge O’Mahony said.

Alford, 42, from Poplar Road, was convicted of five sex offences against children by a jury at Canterbury Crown Court.

Before sentencing, Judge O’Mahony read Victim Impact Statements in which one of the abused youngsters described the effect on her life as “a bombshell.”

Another victim revealed how she suffers frequent flashbacks because of the vile abuse.

At the trial Alford called other young teenagers to give evidence on his behalf as he disputed the girls’ claims.

But the judge said: “He called witnesses at his trial, some of who were very young and I asked at the time was it necessary to put them through it.

“They all said he was charming and nice and he hadn’t put them through that experience, while all the while he knew what he had done to his victims and he used them as part of his dishonest defence to try to pull the wool over the jury’s eyes.

“He put his legal team up to calling those youngsters which I find a very disturbing feature in this case.”

Dominic Webber, defending, handed into the judge a number of letters written from family members in support of Alford.

Alford was jailed for 13 years and Judge O’Mahony ordered he serve an extra three years, to be served on licence. He was also given a sexual offences prevention order.