A paedophile has pleaded guilty to a number of sex offences after a victim came forward and reported his abuse.

Trevor Cairns, 65, admitted 47 offences, including 32 counts of rape, at Newcastle Crown Court on Monday (February 13).

The victim had remained silent until 2018, before being made aware Cairns had been issued with a caution back in 1987 in connection with another allegation of a sexual offence.

Upon discovering he had not been Cairns' only target, he decided to come forward against the man who preyed on him when he was a young boy, subjecting him to sexual abuse and even raping him in the 1980s.

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The Northern Echo:

Cairns of Barmstom, Washington, was brought in for questioning and gave a statement denying the offences, and was charged with multiple sexual offences

Speaking on the guilty plea, Detective Constable Ramshaw said: "The bravery shown by all the victims is nothing short of astounding.

“They have waited years for justice, some have waited decades, but their abuser is now remanded into custody awaiting sentence.”

"This has been one of the worst cases of prolific sexual offending I have ever seen.

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“I really cannot praise the survivors enough – I believe they have given hope to others who have also suffered abuse and are yet to come forward.

“This case shows that is never too late to come forward, that you will be listened to, supported and that justice is possible, no matter how much time has passed.

“If you’ve been suffering in silence, now is the time to speak up.”

He was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced by a judge on April 27.

This comes after the detective was able to trace two further victims, who had left the North East.

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Both gave their own accounts of abuse they suffered and worked with police to put the Cairns behind bars.

He praised the victims for their unwavering bravery and believes the case will help other victims speak out against their abusers.

Anyone looking to disclose a report of any kind of sexual abuse can do so by calling officers on 101 or via their website. For information and support, visit their website.