A west Suffolk man who committed a string of "vile" sex offences - including the rape of a child under the age of 13 - has been jailed for a total of 12 years.

Before Ipswich Crown Court was Paul Roberts, 51, of Rede Way, Great Cornard, near Sudbury, who previously admitted 10 charges.

On November 4, Roberts pleaded guilty to rape of a child under the age of 13, three counts of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13, and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Roberts also admitted two offences of taking indecent photographs of a child – one video of the most serious kind (Category A) and one video at Category C – and a further three counts of making indecent images, with seven Category A indecent images, 17 Category B and seven classed as Category C.

The offences happened between 2017 and 2018.

Roberts, who had no previous convictions, said nothing when interviewed by police, the court heard.

Sentencing Roberts on Friday at Ipswich Crown Court, Judge David Goodin said the offences were so vile "they beggar further description".

Roberts was sentenced to 12 years for the rape of a child under 13, 10 years for sexual assault of a child under 13, and four years each for two further offences of sexual assault.

Judge Goodin also sentenced Roberts to four-and-a-half years for causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and three years each for two offences of taking indecent photographs of a child.

Roberts also received 12 months for making indecent images (Category A), and six months each for the Category B and Category C indecent images offences.

The sentences will run concurrently, meaning Roberts will serve a total of 12 years.

Judge Goodin told Roberts that he will serve two thirds of his sentence before he is released on licence.

The judge also imposed an additional 12 months on licence at the end of his sentence.

Roberts was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) indefinitely.