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A man has been jailed for eight years and four months after pleading guilty to a series of historic sex abuse offences against five children.

Alfred Patrick Beard, 75, from Enler Gardens in Comber, is a former RUC reserve officer.

He admitted 17 offences over a period between 1977 and 1984, with the victims aged between six and 17.

In a statement, Beard's victims said they were "relieved when we were believed and our silence was broken".

"The things that man subjected us to should never happen to any child," they continued.

"He is finally behind bars where he belongs and we would encourage others out there who may have suffered similar to us to speak out and seek justice in the same way we have."

On Wednesday, Belfast Crown Court heard Beard was 15 years older than one of his victims who he sexually abused between 1977 and 1979 when she was aged 14 to 16.

She was invited to Beard's home to look at puppies his dog had given birth to and he tried to kiss her. Later he started collecting her from school to take to his home.

The court heard on one occasion she was abused along with one of her friends.

In 1978, a German penpal of one of the girls visited Northern Ireland and Beard indecently assaulted her in the sea at Helen's Bay beach in County Down.

Two other children were abused by Beard in their own homes.

Judge Gordon Kerr KC described Beard as a "clear predatory danger to any young girls who came into his orbit".

He added statements by three of the victims made it clear the abuse had affected their lives in many ways.

After initially denying the allegations, in December, Beard said: "I totally and utterly regret everything that happened at this time and take full responsibility for my actions."

Alongside his eight-year prison sentence, Beard will be placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Speaking after the sentencing, PSNI Det Supt Jordan Piper said Beard took advantage of vulnerable young women and he had "held a position of trust within the local community".

"To take a child's innocence away from them to satisfy your own sexual perversions is one of the most heinous offences a person can commit," she said.

The detective continued: "The passage of time should not stop those who have suffered in this way from coming forward.

"We will listen, support and robustly investigate, always - no matter who the perpetrator is or what position they held."