A DANGEROUS rapist who subjected his child victims to an "unimaginable" ordeal has been convicted thanks to new police powers to support vulnerable victims.

Simon Chilton, 36, abused two children between 2013 and 2018.

The predator, formerly of Glover Close, Clacton, was arrested after details of the offences came to light in November 2018.

Specialist detectives from the Essex Police child abuse investigation team supported the victims and worked with them to get their account of the abuse.

Officers were able to identify more than a dozen offences.

In September 2019, he was charged with eight counts of rape, four counts of sexual assault, four counts of sexual assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of assault by beating.

Chilton denied all the charges, but following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court was found guilty of seven counts of rape, four counts of sexual assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of assault by beating.

He was found not guilty of one count of rape.

He is due to be sentenced at the same court on Friday, May 14.

The case was a first for police using new powers to better support vulnerable victims by allowing their evidence to be pre-recorded at an early stage, before a trial.

This means their recollection of what happened is fresh and they don’t have to go through the ordeal of giving evidence in court.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Nicola Blackburn said: “Simon Chilton is a dangerous and prolific abuser who subjected these two children to an unimaginable ordeal spanning years.

“Not only this, but he forced them to re-live their ordeal through a trial.

“No-one should experience what Chilton put his victims through, let alone children.

“His vile actions now mean he is likely to spend a significant amount of time behind bars.

“I want to praise the courage of his victims. It has taken incredible courage to come forward and report Chilton’s abuse and I am glad we have been able to bring him to justice.

“When someone reports abuse to us they are supported by specially trained officers and staff and they can be confident their cases will be investigated by dedicated detectives.”

The new measures used in this case, which come under Section 28 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, were launched in Essex in August 2020.

Detective Superintendent Neil Pudney, from our Crime and Public Protection Command, said: “The use of this new measure will have real benefits for victims of crime.

“It improves the quality of evidence we can put forward to a trial but, more importantly, means a vulnerable victim does not have to go through the ordeal of giving evidence in a court room.

“Better quality evidence increases the chance of a conviction, and therefore justice for the victim.

“And giving evidence at an actual trial can be a stressful and intimidating prospect, especially for vulnerable victims or witnesses so having this measure in place which means their evidence can be heard without them having to stand up in court means we can better support victims.

“This was the first case where we have used this measure but it certainly is not the last.”