September 2015 Paedophile jailed for four years for ‘persistent’ abuse A 70-year-old paedophile has been jailed for over four years after he admitted sexually abusing two young boys. Edward Kerr, from Scarborough, repeatedly abused the under-age children in what a crown court judge described as “disgraceful and destructive” behaviour. Kerr appeared at York Crown Court for sentence on Tuesday after pleading guilty to eight counts of sexual assault and one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The depraved pensioner, who suffers from serious health problems, bowed his head and looked visibly distressed as the court heard how he had wrought misery on the boys and their family through his devious sexual behaviour. Kerr’s barrister Simon Reevell said he could offer no explanation for the despicable offences because the defendant “still does not have one”. Mr Reevell said Kerr, of Polland Gardens, would struggle greatly in prison because of his age and health condition. He added that there was an “element of tragedy” in the case because Kerr’s wife would find herself alone when her husband was behind bars. Recorder Tim Roberts QC described Kerr’s abuse of the boys as “aggressive and persistent”. “In pursuit of your own self-gratification you wrought misery on both boys and they will carry the memory of what you did for as long as you can imagine.” He jailed Kerr for four-and-a-half years and made a sexual-harm prevention order banning the paedophile from living, staying or sleeping at any household with an underage child, except with the permission of Social Services. Kerr will also remain on the sex-offenders’ register for life.