Peter Conlan was handed the sentence after he sexually abused and indecently assaulted girls as young as six by kissing their chests and touching them inappropriately.

The 64-year-old was sentenced for five counts of indecent assault and 10 counts of sexual assault at Northampton Crown Court yesterday, after being found guilty by a jury earlier this year.

Judge Charles Wide told Conlan: "Offences like this destroy childhoods. Victims are left with scars which they carry into adult life. It's a terrible crime."

Conlan, from Mill Road, Wellingborough, started a series of indecent assaults between 1981 and 1987. He was found guilty of four indecent assaults during this period after touching a girl between the legs.

He was also found to have committed an indecent assault between August 2003 and April 2004 and was jailed for 10 other counts of sexual assault on a child under the age of 13. The incidents took place between 2001 and 2006.

His youngest victim was between six and nine years old when Conlan touched her inappropriately and put the girl's hand down his boxer shorts.

However, another victim, aged between nine and 11 when the incidents occurred, told Conlan she thought what he was doing was wrong.

Prosecutor Pearl Willis said: "She was courageous and was aware that what was happening to her was quite wrong."

However, Miss Willis said another victim, aged between nine and 12 when the incidents happened, was "reluctant to speak" about her ordeal and held a pillow to her face in police interviews in an attempt to avoid talking about it.

Steven Evans, defending, admitted the offences were "wrong and devastating to the children" but pleaded with Judge Wide to take Conlan's age and poor health into account.

Judge Wide added: "I've read the impact this has had on their lives and it doesn't require much imagination. Each case aggravated the other.

"However, there are some signs you're beginning to take the first steps in acknowledging the harm you've done."

Conlan's wife cried outside the court room after he was given a total nine-year sentence for his crime.