A Runcorn paedophile, Alan Kent, has been jailed for seven years for abusing two children over a period of several years.

Kent, in his seventies, committed the offenses between 2005 and 2019, with two separate periods of abuse. He preyed on the children in a similar manner, offering to pay them for sexual favors and indulging in his sexual fantasies. The children, who were young at the time, had little understanding of his actions.

The abuse came to light when the victims, now adults, came forward. One disclosed the abuse to a partner, while the other confided in a teacher at her school.

Kent was arrested in June 2019 and charged with nine counts of sexual assault on a child, four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of attempting to sexually assault a child. Despite denying all charges, he was convicted following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

In addition to the seven-year prison sentence, Kent was placed on the Sexual Offenders Register for life and given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, prohibiting contact with girls under 16 and any contact with his victims.

Jo Lazzari, Head of the rape and serious sexual offences Unit at CPS Mersey Cheshire, stated: "Alan Kent's offending has spanned several years and caused unimaginable distress and trauma to his two victims. His offending seemed to get worse over the years, and he has learnt nothing from the harm he has done. We would like to thank the victims in this case and their families for coming forward and helping us to get this dangerous predatory offender jailed. Their courage in supporting a trial has undoubtedly made other children safe from his depravity."

The CPS encourages anyone affected by similar trauma to come forward, regardless of how long ago it happened. They are working with the police and courts to bring abusers to justice and provide support to victims.