A PAEDOPHILE was jailed for seven years after a judge condemned him for causing his victim “extremely serious harm”.

Kenneth Eaves, aged 71, of Viscount Evan Drive, Newport, was found guilty by a jury after a two-week trial of historical sex offences.

He was convicted by majority verdicts of 10-2 of two counts of sexual assault and one of sexual activity with a child, all relating to one girl.

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Eaves had faced 13 charges in total and there were two other complainants in the case, but he was found not guilty in respect of 10 of those allegations.

He was acquitted of attempted rape, four counts of sexual activity with a child charges, three sexual assaults and two counts of indecent assault.

The prosecutor in the case during the trial at Cardiff Crown Court was Laurence Jones and Eaves was represented by his barrister Harry Baker.

The defendant had denied all the charges and claimed all three complainants were lying.

Eaves appeared for sentence after being remanded in custody following the jury’s guilty verdicts earlier this month.

The court was told the defendant had no previous convictions recorded against him.

Judge Neil Bidder QC said to the pensioner that he was a man of previous “exemplary character who worked hard throughout your life”.

But he denounced him for the damage he had inflicted upon his victim.

The judge told him: “You caused her extremely serious harm. She is extremely vulnerable.

“I am not sure I have seen a worse case of harm caused by sexual abuse.”

Judge Bidder had earlier said “distressing” details had emerged during the trial.

As well as being jailed for seven years in total for the three offences, Eaves will have to register as a sex offender for an indefinite period.

The statutory victim surcharge did not apply in the case because of the age of the offences.