A LORRY driver who sexually abused eight young children over a quarter of a century was last night (Friday, May 27) beginning a 23-year jail sentence.

John Jeffrey Mawson enticed some of his victims to a shed on the pretext of playing games, looking at rabbits or the offer of a beer. Several of his victims described his attacks as frenzied .

Durham Crown Court was told Mawson punched one young girl as he raped her and threatened her saying: “If you tell, I will come and kill you when you are asleep.”

Passing sentence Judge Simon Hickey said: “This was a catalogue of sexual offending against young boys and girls spanning a quarter of a century.

“These were grave and heinous offences, which understandably, devastated the lives of the victims.”

The 54-year-old of Park Tower, Park Road, Hartlepool, had denied a 22-count indictment, relating to eight victims, when he appeared at a plea hearing in January.

Due to his denials, the victims were required to either give evidence in person or via video link at his trial.

The court heard most of the complainants - six women and two men - were underage when the incidents took place in County Durham, but some of the offending was said to have continued after their 16th birthdays.

The offences, two of rape, one of attempted rape, 14 of indecent assault and five of indecency with a child, were said to have taken place between the mid-1970s and 2001.

Although complaints were made locally about 2001, it was only in 2014 that some of the victims went to the police.

Mawson denied all the charges saying he could not understand why they had been brought.

But, on the eighth day of his trial the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all 22 charges.

David Lamb, representing Mawson, said: “Mr Mawson still denies all the offences, to there is little I can say about him in mitigation.

“The earliest of these offences was some 40 years ago and he has not reoffended since 2001."

Mawson was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order, banning him indefinitely from unsupervised contact with children. He will also be the subject of an extended licence and must register as a sex offender for life.