A VIOLENT pimp has been found guilty of raping, beating and abusing a number of young girls and women during a 20-year reign of terror.

Junior Bryan was cleared of several charges, including ones of rape, but was convicted of at least one charge against all eight of the woman who said they had suffered at the hands of the defendant.

The savage nature of the brutal assaults Bryan inflicted on the victims has had a long-term impact on the women, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Bryan, of Marton Road, Middlesbrough, was accused of forcing a number of teenagers and young women into prostitution after getting them addicted to drugs.

Throughout the eight-week trial, jurors had heard from all the alleged victims how he had abused them sometime between 1993 and 2013.

The catalogue of charges allegedly happened while the defendant was living in Darlington, Middlesbrough, Leeds and London.

One of his victims was driven along an isolated track next to a Darlington golf course and was forced to dig her own grave while being viciously assaulted.

Bryan also inflicted humiliating sexual abuse of the-then teenager before attacking her with a hammer.

His youngest victim, who was aged just 14, was given heroin laced cannabis joints while Bryan went on to try and force her into prostitution and carried out indecent assaults on the teenager.

Another of victims was taken to his flat in Darlington and subjected to a vicious beating and endured horrendous sexual violence at his perverted hands.

Following the verdicts, Richard Bennett, prosecuting, said: “May I take the unusual step on behalf of the Bar of thanking the jury.

“Given the circumstances that are prevailing at the moment, can I say that we are most grateful to the effort and fortitude that they demonstrated.

“It reinforces our faith in the jury system.”

Earlier in the trial, Bryan had pleaded guilty to living off the earnings of one of his alleged victims between September 1999 and November 2002 and two charges of supplying drugs to two women.

Speaking after the verdicts, Chief Superintendent Alastair Simpson from Cleveland Police said: “Junior Chester Bryan is an extremely depraved man who has traumatised the lives of his victims by exerting control over many of them for decades.

“The bravery of these women in coming forward cannot be underestimated. They have found the strength to face the court process and have had to relive details of these awful crimes.

“Junior Chester Bryan began his offending in 1993 and his crimes span 20 years. He has now been brought to justice and I’m thankful that he will be off the streets, I hope that this brings some comfort to his victims.

“The investigation into Junior Chester Bryan has been a two year intensive inquiry by Cleveland Police’s Historic Investigation Unit, which is funded by a Home Office grant. I want to thank each and every detective that has been involved in this significant and complex case and I would also like to thank staff at the Crown Prosecution Service for their work.”

Bryan, who remained impassive throughout, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at a later date.