Washington rapist Trevor Cairns jailed for dozens of offences

Trevor Cairns was jailed for 28 years

A sexual predator who abused and raped three victims going back to the 1980s has been jailed for 28 years.

Trevor Cairns admitted 47 offences, including 32 rapes, with Northumbria Police saying his was "one of the worst cases of prolific sexual offending" they had seen.

Cairns, 66, of Barmston, Washington, initially denied the charges but changed his plea midway through his trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

Police praised his victims' courage.

A force spokesman said a man came forward in 2018 to report he had been sexually abused and raped by Cairns when he was a child in the 1980s.

Det Con Colin Ramshaw said the subsequent investigation led to a "horrifying picture of systematic abuse involving multiple victims".

'Never too late'

He said: "I am astounded by the resilience, the courage and the dignity shown by all three of Cairns' victims.

"They have waited years for justice, some have waited decades, but their abuser is now behind bars and will hopefully die in prison.

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

Det Con Ramshaw said he hoped the case would "give hope" to others who had been abused and were yet to report it, adding: "It is never too late to speak up and justice is possible, no matter how much time has passed."

Cairns was also given restraining and sexual harm prevention orders and put on the sex offenders' register for an indefinite amount of time.