A PERVERTED pensioner was today starting an eight-year jail term, bringing to an end a 40-year reign of child sex abuse.

Grandfather Eric Green, now 66, was first sent to prison in 1964 for molesting under-age girls.

His latest victims, three of them now adults, had not earlier complained to police about their ordeals at his hands.

Green had carried on his behaviour because he thought he could get away with it, a court was told.

Green's wife had called in officers after suspicions over abuse of one of the victims almost 20 years ago.

He was brought to justice after he sexually attacked a little girl earlier this year and other complainants then came forward.

The defendant protested his innocence to a jury throughout a four-day trial and insisted the complainants' claims were nightmares or lies.

He was found guilty at Burnley Crown Court of 10 charges of indecent assault against four victims between 1973 and 2004.

Green was also given a two-year extended licence period.

He was made the subject of a sex offences prevention order, was placed on the sex offences register for life and was banned from working with children.

Sentencing, Judge Stuart Baker told Green he would probably be in custody for the rest of his life.

Green, of Colne Road, Burnley, had denied the charges against him.

After he was convicted, it was revealed he had been sent to jail when he was 26 for allegations of indecent assault and unlawful sexual intercourse.

The court had been told Green had touched and stroked his victims and made them fondle him.

One of his victims, now 25, had fought back tears as she told the jury how she had not told anybody what happened to her until she was 18 when she opened her heart to her mother.

She said she had not reported the abuse, which took place when she was eight or nine, to police at that stage as she had felt she wanted to move on with her life and put the past behind her.

The woman said she had felt guilty when she heard of the accusations made against Green by the little girl. She continued: "I felt I could have stopped that if I had made a complaint."

Giving evidence, Green told the court none of the victims' allegations was true and swore he had done nothing.

He said three of the complainants had got their heads together and concocted their evidence and continued: "My liberty is at stake here."

The defendant alleged he had been honest with police from the beginning and said the victims' evidence was so graphic it was like something out of a film.

After the jury's verdict, John Sawyer, defending, said Green was supported by his wife and was proud of his family and what they had achieved. He would have to cope with his time behind bars.