A MAN has been jailed for 15 years after he was convicted of a string of historic child sex offences.

Dennis Brannigan, 68, of Gladstone Terrace, Binchester, County Durham, will have to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.

Teesside Crown Court heard how he committed an escalating series of offences against his under age victim who eventually reported matters to the police in 2010.

Brannigan was interviewed by officers, but then went to work abroad in Magaluf. However he returned voluntarily to the UK to face further questioning and was subsequently charged by police.

The defendant was sentenced by Judge John Walford for six offences of rape, three of indecency with a child and three counts of indecent assault.

He had admitted one count of indecent assault and one of indecency, but denied the remainder of the allegations and was convicted after a trial last week.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland police, which investigated the case, said the victim had been pleased with the outcome.