A paedophile has pleaded guilty to 47 offences after one victim bravely came forward, some three decades after he was raped.
Vile Trevor Cairns preyed upon and raped a young boy in the 1980s, but having previously thought he had been Cairns’ only target, the victim spoke up in 2018 after being made aware his attacker had received a caution back in 1987 for a separate allegation of a sexual offence.
A following investigation revealed “systematic abuse” by Cairns involving multiple victims, as police managed to locate two further victims, both of whom had left the North East but agreed to give their own accounts of the abuse.
Cairns, now 65, of Barmstom, Washington, was brought in for questioning and initially gave a prepared statement denying the offences.
But after a long investigation, Cairns was finally charged with multiple sexual offences, including 32 counts of rape.
And on Monday (February 13), six days into an eight day trial, with the evidence stacked against him, Cairns pleaded guilty to 47 offences at Newcastle Crown Court.
He was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced by a judge on April 27.
Detective Constable Ramshaw, who led the investigation, praised the victims for their “unwavering bravery” and said “this is a landmark case that will help other victims speak out against their abusers”.
"The bravery shown by all the victims is nothing short of astounding,” said Det Con Ramshaw.
“They have waited years for justice, some have waited decades, but their abuser is now remanded into custody awaiting sentence. This has been one of the worst cases of prolific sexual offending I have ever seen.
“I really cannot praise the survivors enough – I believe they have given hope to others who have also suffered abuse and are yet to come forward.
“This case shows that it is never too late to come forward, that you will be listened to, supported and that justice is possible, no matter how much time has passed.
“If you’ve been suffering in silence, now is the time to speak up.”
Anyone looking to disclose a report of any kind of sexual abuse can do so by calling Northumbria Police on 101 or contact the force via its website.
