A FORMER butcher who subjected three children to a catalogue of sexual abuse which haunted them in later years, was yesterday (Friday September 4) jailed for six-and-a-half years.

Derrick George Webster, now 63, committed hundreds of sexual acts on the trio, a boy and two girls, who were all aged 11 or under when the abuse took place, in the 1970s.

Durham Crown Court was told he used the “classic” grooming techniques of initially appearing friendly before touching them inappropriately and then carrying out the offending acts - preying on one of his victims frequently.

The court heard he told the children to say nothing and even paid the boy 10p at times, to buy his trust.

All three victims said they feared repeat acts of abuse and were frightened of raising the alarm due to the possible consequences and fearing they would be believed.

It only ended when Webster moved from his address at the time.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said it was only when one victim, now a middle-aged man, saw Webster in the street in 2013, that he thought to himself: 'No-one knew what he had done'.

He finally reported it to police, in January 2013, and, later the two abused females also came forward.

It resulted in Webster’s arrest and, facing 20 counts of indecent assault and gross indecency with children, he failed to appear at a plea hearing at the court on June 26, having taken an overdose of pills, apparently intending to take his life.

Following hospital treatment, Webster, of Fulforth Way, Sacriston, County Durham, was arrested on a bench warrant and brought to court on June 29 when he admitted all the charges.

Yesterday's sentencing hearing heard harrowing accounts of the long-term psychological difficulties endured by the victims, whose physical well-being has also been affected.

Don MacFaul, mitigating, said the defendant, a former factory butcher, is of otherwise good character.

Mr MacFaul said Webster has suffered depression and made the unsuccessful attempt to take his own life earlier this year.

Jailing him, Judge Simon Hickey told Webster: “The fact you have committed multiple offences against multiple victims, albeit some time ago, makes it necessary to make an order to prevent unsupervised contact with young people.”

Webster was made subject of a sexual harm prevention order, indefinitely, and must register as a sex offender, for life.