A “MANIPULATIVE predator” who poses “a danger to women” has been jailed for a series of sexual offences against women and girls spanning more than 20 years.

Kevin Offland, 45, had denied 18 sexual offences in the Telford and Pembrokeshire areas between 1998 and 2021.

Offland, now of Nichols Road in Great Yarmouth, was charged with three offences of rape relating to three different victims, an offence of rape of a child, a charge of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, and 13 offences of sexual activity with a child – relating to two girls while they were both aged 14 and 15.

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During the trial, the jury heard that Offland raped two of the women and an 11-year-old girl – after giving her alcohol – in the Telford area, before he moved to Pembrokeshire.

A third woman gave evidence that Offland had raped her after spiking her drink in October 2014. She said she woke up in a bed at his home in pain and with no memory of the night before.

The jury heard that Offland sexually assaulted one of the teenagers multiple times under the guise of giving her massages to help with her training to get in to the army. Offland had no sports therapy, physiotherapy or massage qualifications and had never been in the army.

He also got her to carry out a sex act on him when she was aged just 14.

He also sexually assaulted a second teenager, again under the pretence of giving her massages – which he referred to as relaxation lessons – and when he applied fake tan to her body.

Following a two-week trial, the jury found Offland guilty of all charges on February 21.

Offland – who refused to attend his sentencing – was jailed for a total of 26 years, plus a further four years on extended licence.

Judge Catherine Richards ordered that her sentencing remarks would be transcribed and sent to the defendant.

“It’s no surprise to me that you failed to attend today,” she said. “You are both a bully and a coward.

“What was plain in this case was the incredible bravery of the victims and survivors to come to court and give their evidence.”

Prosecutor Andrew Davies described Offland as a “dangerous sexual predator” who used “violence, manipulation and his overbearing personality” to commit these offences.

“He’s done irreparable harm towards any woman he has ever come across,” Mr Davies added.

In a statement she read to the court, the first victim described having been “preyed upon by an evil entity”.

“This man not only physically abused me but mentally and financially,” she said.

“I cannot stress enough that this does not even scratch the surface of what I have endured,” she said.

“I was subjected to the most heinous abuse.”

The child victim told the court, via a statement read by Mr Davies: “The day the crime was committed against me was the day my life changed…the day my life was shattered.

“I began to drink and take drugs. I used these as a coping mechanism.

“This crime completely ruined my childhood and ruined me as a person.

“Every day I still suffer and sadly I believe I always will.”

In mitigation, Nicola Powell, said: “There is very little I can say.”

She said Offland still denied the offences and maintained his innocence when interviewed by the probation service.

Sentencing Offland, Judge Richards said that she recognised that whatever sentence was passed would not be able to come close to matching the harm he had caused the victims.

“The impact on these young women has been stark,” she said.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that you are a danger to women. You are a manipulative predator.”