A 67-year-old man convicted of 16 sexual offences against eight children has been jailed for 20 years.

Leonard Cook, of the Sydenham area of Bridgwater, admitted the offences at a previous hearing at Taunton Crown Court. They included nine counts of sexual assault and one count of rape.

He appeared before the same court today (28/7) where he was sentenced to 20 years in jail with an extended licence of five years. He’ll have to serve a minimum of 14 years before he is eligible for parole.

The offences relate to eight victims who were all under 13 and Cook’s offending spanned from 1990 to 2015.

He was arrested in August 2015 when the mother of one of the victims contacted the police with her concerns.

The resulting police investigation identified further victims and resulted in Cook being charged with multiple offences.

“This investigation...embodies the very best example of a multi-agency approach to safeguarding vulnerable children in Somerset."

Det Insp Lindsay Shearlock said: “Leonard Cook committed abhorrent sexual offences against young children and took advantage of opportunities to abuse whenever he could.

“His crimes were dark in nature and destructive because of the lasting impact they’ll have on the victims and their families.

“In interview, Cook tried to distance himself from the victims and denied the offences – a trait sadly typical of predatory sexual offenders like him.

“The weight of evidence against him ultimately led to him admitting the offences in court, which at least spared the victims from having to relive their experiences by giving evidence in a trial.

“I’ve been humbled by the courage of the victims and their families and we thank them for their wholehearted support of our investigation. We hope this sentence will help them move on from the horrific experiences they’ve been through.

“This investigation, supported by Somerset County Council’s Children’s Social Care and paediatric teams in Taunton, embodies the very best example of a multi-agency approach to safeguarding vulnerable children in Somerset.”

If anyone has concerns relating to this inquiry or has further information to share with the investigation team, please call Det Sgt Paul Lanigan or Det Con Louise Ricketts at Somerset Investigations on 101

If you don’t want to speak to the police, The Bridge Sexual Assault Referral Centre is available 24/7 365 days a year to provide expert medical care and emotional and practical support to anyone affected by rape and sexual assault.

You can call The Bridge for help and decide about talking to the police later, or visit www.thebridgecanhelp.org.uk