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A man was jailed today for raping and sexually assaulting three boys in a church as a teenager in the 1980s.
Dennis Anyon abused his victims, the youngest of whom was just four years old, over a six-year period.
The Wirral man, who was 13 years old when he started, met his victims at the former Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses on Rostherne Avenue in Ellesmere Port.
Much of the abuse took place in the church, where Anyon inappropriately touched his victims in the bathrooms.
He also abused all of his victims in his room at his Ellesmere Port home.
Now a 48-year-old man, Anyon was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a six-day trial at Chester Crown Court.
Anyon, of Fairview Way, Pensby, was convicted of seven counts of indecent assault and two other counts of sexual assault.
Police described their actions as “truly horrifying” and praised the victims’ “courage” for testifying after Anyon decided to challenge a trial.
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Upon sentencing, Police Detective George Booth of the Cheshire Police Rape Unit said: “First of all, I would like to acknowledge the courage that all the victims have shown throughout this investigation.
“What Anyon put them through is really horrible and the fact that he made his victims stand trial and tell them what he had done to them was extremely distressing.
“But thanks to her bravery, she now faces the consequences of her actions.
“Anyon’s sentence reflects the seriousness of her crime and her conviction sends a clear message that Cheshire Police take all reports of historic sex crimes seriously and will do everything possible to bring offenders to justice.
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David Keane, Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “It is vitally important that victims of sexual abuse come forward and speak up about what happened to them so that the perpetrators of sexual abuse can be brought to justice.
“Anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse, no matter how long the incident has occurred, is urged to come forward and report it.
“I will continue to work with victims to make sure they are heard and given the specialized support they need.”
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