A Clacton child rapist who subjected his victims to an "unimaginable ordeal" over a five-year spell has been jailed for 21 years.

Simon Chilton, formerly of Glover Close, was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday after being convicted of abusing two children last week.

The 36-year-old was arrested in November 2018 after details of his abuse between 2013 and 2018 came to light.

Specialist detectives from Essex Police's child abuse investigation team supported the victims and worked with them to get their account of what happened.

In September 2019, Chilton was charged with eight counts of rape, four counts of sexual assault, four counts of sexual assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault and one count of assault by beating.

He denied all the charges but, following a trial, he was found guilty of seven counts of rape, four counts of sexual assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault and one count of assault by beating.

Chilton was found not guilty of one count of rape.

He was jailed for 21 years, with an additional year on licence.

The case was one of the first where Essex Police used new powers which allowed the evidence of vulnerable victims or witnesses to be pre-recorded at an early stage, before a trial.

This means their recollection of what happened is fresher and they do not have to go through the ordeal of giving evidence at court.

Investigating officer Det Con Nicola Blackburn, of Essex Police, paid tribute to Chilton's victims for their bravery in assisting detectives with their investigation.

She said: "The two victims have shown incredible bravery in reporting these offences to us and telling us what happened.

"We supported them to ensure their welfare and help them tell us what had happened to them.

"Simon Chilton subjected them to an unimaginable ordeal spanning years.

"He will now spend a significant time behind bars where he will not be able to endanger any more young people.

"No sentence can ever undo the damage Chilton has caused but I hope this result will help his victims to move forward."