A CHILD rapist who carried out a 'sustained campaign of abuse' against his victims has been jailed for more than 20 years.

Royston Gill, 58, of Rose Avenue, Worcester, was found guilty of multiple non-recent sexual offences committed against children in Worcester between September 1996 and February 2002.

Gill denied committing the offences when he was interviewed by police and pleaded not guilty in court to all 10 accounts.

On Wednesday, July 3, he was found guilty of three counts of sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13, six counts of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a child at Worcester Crown Court.

Judge Gilmore sentenced Gill to 21 and a half years in prison and also gave him a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which will continue to restrict his potential to harm others should he ever leave prison.

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Detective constable Gemma Leighton, from South Worcestershire Protecting Vulnerable People team, led the investigation

She said: "Gull subjected his young victims to a sustained campaign of abuse, leaving long lasting trauma and distress to them.

"I would like to commend the victims, they have shown such courage, strength and bravery by coming forward to the police and giving their evidence to the court and for this they should all be very proud of themselves."

If served in full, the sentence would see Gill in jail until 2045 at the age of 79.

Detective constable Leighton added: "I'm pleased with the lengthy sentence handed out and sincerely hope that this brings some comfort to the victims for what they have suffered.

"I hope this case demonstrates to the community of Worcestershire that West Mercia Police take reports of sexual abuse including non-recent sexual abuse very seriously and that we will not hesitate to investigate thoroughly and robustly to bring offenders to justice."