April 2015 Paedophile who ruined the lives of five children jailed for nine years A paedophile who repeatedly abused and ruined the lives of five children was jailed for nine years. David Hughes, 74, carried out a “deliberate campaign of abuse” against victims “of an extremely young age” including a four-year-old girl. Hughes, of Bowring Park Road, Broadgreen, admitted 20 counts of indecent assault at Liverpool Crown Court, relating to offences between 1986 and 1999. The court heard he was aged between 46 and 54 at the time, while the boys and girls were aged between four and 12. Judge David Aubrey, QC, said Hughes “very regularly” abused one girl when she was aged between four and 10. He said: “Your past has now caught up with you. “Over a number of years you have destroyed the innocence and destroyed the childhood of these children. “You committed many acts of sexual abuse against vulnerable children. This was a deliberate campaign of abuse of children of an extremely young age. “All were in your charge and this in the court’s judgement was a gross breach of trust. They were extremely vulnerable.” Hughes was allowed to remain seated during the hearing, as the court heard he had “an accident” in Walton prison this morning, which had left him feeling “light headed”. Balding with grey hair and wearing a blue shirt, tie and jumper in the dock, the pensioner sat with his head bowed. He had no previous convictions and was said to be a man of previous good character. Judge Aubrey said Hughes’ victims had struggled to rebuild their lives. He said: “You have left each one of them with devastating and psychological scars. “You have taken away their childhood. They remain traumatised. “Some speak of depression, they struggle with relationships and some speak of constantly having flashbacks to the occasions when you would enter their bedrooms and commit acts for your own sexual gratification. “These are extremely serious offences committed over a lengthy period of time.” Hughes displayed no emotion as he was told he will spend the next four and a half years behind bars, before being released on licence. The judge also made an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), limiting Hughes’ contact with children, and told him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.