Alec Calvert 77

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A child-abusing pensioner may not be alive by the end of his lengthy prison sentence.

That was the stark message given to Alec Calvert after he received prison terms totalling 24 years at Durham Crown Court for offences on which he was convicted earlier this year.

The 77-year-old defendant of Northbridge Park, St Helen Auckland, who has no previous convictions, denied an 11-count indictment, including seven charges of sexual assault and one each for rape, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual communication with a child and attempted sexual assault.

He accused all three victims of fabricating the allegations and telling lies to the police and court.

But on the ninth day of his trial, in January, unanimous guilty verdicts were returned on all 11 counts by the jury.

Calvert had already admitted two counts of making indecent images of a child and one of possessing extreme pornography.

He appeared at the court for sentence via video link from Durham Prison, where he has been on remand.

The court was told Calvert was under investigation for offences committed against two of the victims, when he was involved in grooming-type behaviour with an older girl who he bought alcohol for, persuaded to send him intimate images of herself and drove to secluded areas to sexually assault.

When he was arrested by police last summer, he was found nearly naked with the girl in his car, parked in a disused docks area.

Impact statements were read to the court on behalf of all three of the victims.

One said she has since struggled to trust older men and distances herself from them in public places, while she had worried that she would bump into the defendant until he was remanded in custody.

Chris Baker, for Calvert, said there was not a great deal he could say on his behalf, given his denials and the guilty verdicts.

“He’s aware he’s had his trial and lost, and there’s little by way of mitigation which can be put to the court because of that.

“Perhaps the most significant submission I can make over the sentencing exercise is the issue of totality.

“It’s not an adding up exercise.

“He’s a man with no previous convictions."

Judge Nathan Adams said it was repeat offending over a number of years demonstrating the defendant’s "paedophilic proclivities for his own sexual gratification".

Imposing consecutive sentences, relating to each of the three victims, totalling 24 years, the judge said Calvert must serve at least two-thirds, 16 years, before the Parole Board can consider if it’s safe to release him.

But he may have to serve the full 24 years and, should he ever be released, he will be subject to two years’ licence extension.