A father of two was jailed for 13 years today for nine sexual assaults on four female victims - two of which were 12 years old.

Cambs Times: Richard Maycroft was jailed for 13 yearsRichard Maycroft was jailed for 13 years (Image: Archant)

Judge Sean Enright, sentencing Richard Maycroft, 42, at Peterborough Crown Court said: “You have a particular interest in young girls you are barely able to control.

“What’s remarkable about this offending is the duration over which the offences are spread and the abuse of trust that is significant in nearly all of these counts and the vulnerability of the complainants.

“They were not in a position to resist in anyway. The breach of trust was very grave.”

Cambs Times: Richard Maycroft jailed for 13 years for sex offencesRichard Maycroft jailed for 13 years for sex offences (Image: Archant)

Judge Enright said in the case of the youngest victim who was 12: “There was a determined effort by you to corrupt this girl.”

In relation to one girl he added: “This was all the more serious because of the unwanted photographs taken by you in circumstances where her privacy was violated and the frequent and unpleasant text messages calculated to demean and degrade.”

Tim Brown, defending, said Maycroft, who has no previous convictions, continues to assert his innocence in these matters.

“I cannot express any remorse for something Richard Maycroft didn’t do according to his account,” said Mr Brown.

“It’s no better than it is and it is no worse than it is. It’s not the gravest in relation to sexual misconduct to minors. They’re bad enough but not the gravest. They’re not the worst that could be conceived this is sexual misconduct.”

Maycroft, of Huntingdon Road, Chatteris, appeared via a video link from prison, where he has been since his conviction in December. He had been found guilty by a jury following a trial at Peterborough Crown Court.

He was found guilty of two charges of indecent assault on a child, two charges of assaulting a child by touching, one charge of rape on a woman in her 20s, three charges of sexual assault on a woman in her 20s and one on a woman in her 50s.

Twice married Mycroft was first arrested on November 28, 2013, on suspicion of a number of sexual offences and 15 months later on February 16, 2015 he was charged.

Maycroft worked for years at Haddenham firm Anson Packaging until leaving in June 2015.

The charges and the sentencing:

• Sexual touching of 13-year-old - four years in prison (to run consecutive)

• Sexual assault on someone 16 plus - three years (to run consecutive)

• Indecent assault - three years (to run consecutive)

• Indecent assault - three years (to run consecutive)

• Rape of an adult woman - 10 years (to run concurrent with the previous sentences)

• Indecent assault on a girl under 14 - one year (to run concurrent)

• Indecent assault on a girl under 16 - four years (to run concurrent)

• Sexual touching of a 12-year-old - four years (to run concurrent)

• Recording private photograph for sexual gratification - one year (to run concurrent)