Man jailed for multiple child sex offences

Richard Griffiths was jailed for 19 years after pleading guilty to nine sexual offences

A man has been jailed for 19 years after pleading guilty to a series of child sexual offences.

Richard Griffiths, 33, from Stafford, admitted four counts of raping a girl under 13, two counts of inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, taking an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child under 13.

He also pleaded guilty to sexual penetration by a person with a living animal.

Four other charges will lie on file, the court said.

Griffiths was placed on the sex offenders register for life and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Staffordshire Police said his crimes were reported to the force in November.

Det Sgt Sophie Boden, from the force’s child protection and exploitation team, described Griffiths as "truly a dangerous man" adding that the sentence would protect the community from him.