A PAEDOPHILE has been sentenced to more than two decades in prison after he was convicted of historic child sex offences.

Albert Kirk will serve 24 years in jail with a further year on extended licence after he was convicted of 26 child sex offences.

Kirk, 68, of Fal Drive, Witham, denied all 26 offences but was convicted of them all following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

The offences included three counts of rape, three counts of attempted rape, 12 counts of sexual assault, six counts of indecent assault, one count of assault by penetration and one count of indecency with a child.

The offences relate to three children and took place in the 1980s and 2010s.

Following the sentencing, one of Kirk’s victims thanked Essex Police for their support after her abuser was jailed.

Read more >> Vile child rapist handed 24 years in prison as victim speaks out

The woman, who is remaining anonymous, said: “What he did has affected my whole life and has impacted my physical health too.

“I can’t hold a relationship down and it’s affected relationships with my family.

“No matter how they punish him, it can’t make what he did any better. He has already done the damage.”

She added: “I keep having bad nightmares. Sometimes I think they’re real.

“I believe there may be many children out there that he has abused and who haven’t come forward. I hope that they can now speak out.

“I also believe someone like that preys on his victims and carefully selects them.

“I would encourage other people to come forward because this sort of thing has to stop.

“I can’t bear the thought of someone doing that to another child and that is why I have spoken out about what he did.”

Det Con Siobhann Murphy, of Essex Police’s child abuse investigation team, added: “I want pay tribute to the courage of the victims abused by Albert Kirk.

“It has taken incredible bravery to report what has happened to them and re-live that ordeal.

“It has had a profound affect on them and I hope seeing Kirk brought to justice because of their courageousness will help them move forward.”