A GRIMSBY man has been jailed for 24 years for committing a string of sexual assaults against three girls.
Steven Williams, 60, of Ladysmith Road, Grimsby, was found guilty of a total of 17 offences by a jury following a trial at Grimsby Crown Court.
The offences all took place within a seven- and-a-half year period between August 2005 and January this year, and involved three girls, now aged 16, 13 and 13, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Williams was convicted on six counts of rape against one girl, three counts of sexual activity and one of assault by penetration against the second, and two counts of rape, four of assault by penetration and one of causing a child to engage in sexual activity against the third.
He was found not guilty of six other offences involving the three girls and a boy, after the jury delivered not guilty verdicts on three, and were unable to reach a majority verdict on three others.
Before sentence was passed, defence barrister Simon Hirst asked Recorder Anton Lodge QC to take into consideration it being Williams' first custodial sentence and his age.
Recorder Lodge described Williams as a "clever man" who had used his cleverness to manipulate and control others for "criminally immoral ends."
He said: "It can be safely said that you have damaged each of the three girls."
Williams was also made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order and disqualified from working with children.
When the sentence was passed, relatives of the victims let out a jubilant cry of "yes" from the public gallery.
By contrast, Williams, who was wearing a turquoise green cardigan and white shirt, showed no emotion as he was told of his fate.
Minutes earlier he had appeared in a relaxed mood, and was seen laughing and joking with the court guards.
As Williams was led from the dock, his victims' relatives gave him a sarcastic round of applause, with one saying: "Has justice been done? Yes, it has."
Recorder Lodge commended Detective Constable Nicola Mackenzie and Detective Sergeant Phil Booker from Humberside Police for their hard work on the case.
His remarks echoed the words of prosecutor Richard Woolfall, who said the two officers deserved a commendation for the "professional way" in which they had conducted the inquiry.
Recorder Lodge also praised defence barrister Simon Hirst for the sensitive way in which he had cross-examined the child victims, describing it as being in "the highest tradition of the profession".
