A MAN who sexually abused four children over the course of nearly 20 years has been jailed.

Matthew Rivett was convicted of 28 offences in November last year, including multiple counts of rape and assault by penetration, following a trial at Basildon Crown Court.

He had sexually abused four children in Pitsea and Canvey Island between 2002 and 2019.

The abuse came to light when some of the offences were reported to police in 2020 and further allegations were reported the following year.

Rivett, 44, of Stokefelde, Pitsea, appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Friday, 24 March where he was sentenced to 22 years in jail. He will serve two thirds of that sentence in custody.

Investigating officer PC Nick Schneider, from the Basildon Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: "I want to praise the strength demonstrated by the survivors of this horrendous ordeal.

"Their courage in coming forward and re-telling what Rivett put them through has ensured he is now behind bars for a significant amount of time and cannot pose a threat to anyone else.

"It is difficult to imagine what they have been through, and their experience has and is likely to have a profound impact on their lives.

"No conviction or sentence can undo the damage he has done, but I hope this will help those affected to move forward

"Rivett is a prolific offender who committed awful crimes. He has now been held accountable and will now spend the foreseeable future in prison."