Child sex offender jailed for 10 years

An Invercargill man has been jailed for 10 years for a number of sex offences against children.

The court was told the offending spanned more than 20 years.

Roger Alexander Bryant, 41, admitted one charge of rape, another of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, six charges of indecently assaulting a child under 12 and three charges of indecently assaulting a child aged between 12 and 16 when he appeared for sentencing in the Invercargill District Court yesterday, the Southland Times reported.

Judge Phillips said Bryant's offending, committed while he was extremely intoxicated, had been catastrophic for his three child victims, who were aged from five upwards.

He was a sexual predator who had made threats and told the children they would suffer if they told anyone, the judge said.

Judge Phillips imposed a six-year non-parole period on Bryant's 10-year sentence.

- NZPA