Brighton paedophile handed 25-year prison sentence for 'dreadful attacks' on young girls

Alan Cousins, 61, of South Avenue, Brighton, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court on Thursday (December 20) having been convicted of 22 offences.

Sussex Police said the offences concerned rape and other sexual assaults and incitement to commit sexual offences on girls under the age of 16.

Six other offences related to indecent images of children found his home computer and hard drives when he was arrested, police said.

He had pleaded guilty to six counts of possessing and making the indecent images in April this year.

All the images were taken from the Internet and none involved images of local children or children known to him, said Sussex Police.

In sentencing Cousins, Judge Paul Tain said; "You constitute a significant risk to members of the public. This sentencing reflects your dreadful attacks on little girls. The whole of your evidence was a pack of lies.”

Detective Constable Stewart Cameron of the Brighton Safeguarding and Investigation Unit said: "This investigation began in 2014 after one of Cousins' victims spoke to us. We then traced four further victims.

"Throughout the investigation he has shown no remorse and refused to accept that he has ruined lives. The victims have shown immense bravery and fortitude, with our support, and gave clear accounts of the abuse they suffered at his hands.

"Today justice has been done."