Ex-teacher jailed for 17 years over Kenyan street boys abuse

International Justice Mission, the human rights organisation which helped bring Simon Harris to justice, has praised both British and Kenyan police, after the ex-teacher from Herefordshire was sentenced to 17 years and four months for the abuse of Kenyan street children.

The organisation said the case showed that international borders should present no barrier to the prosecution of paedophiles like Harris.

Hannah Flint told ITV News the charity is "delighted" that many more children are protected from ever coming across Simon Harris.

Meanwhile Kelvin Lay, from the National Crime Agency, said the length of his sentence "reflects the crimes that Simon Harris has committed".

A former teacher from Herefordshire has been sentenced to 17 years and four months in prison after being found guilty of abusing young boys in Kenya.

In December, 55-year-old Simon Harris, from Pudleston near Leominster, was convicted of indecent and sexual assault on youngsters, and possessing indecent images of children.

Jailing Harris, the judge told the University of Southampton classics graduate he would serve half his sentence on licence and also handed him a life-long sexual offences prevention order.

Nancy Cole reports on the background to the case:

A judge who today sentenced a former teacher from Herefordshire to 17 years and four months in jail for the abuse of Kenyan street children, said he had abused "amongst the most vulnerable in the world."

Before his trial last year, Simon Harris admitted six counts of indecently assaulting three boys at a college in Devon, where he had been a housemaster in the 1980s.

Judge Parker said Harris, who later moved to Kenya, had continued his sexual offending against boys, and this time against street children whom he said "were amongst the most vulnerable in the world".

"You assumed a hallowed position among the locals," said the judge.

"You were revered as someone who could provide the gift of education.

"You were answerable to no-one - and once again you had access to boys."

The judge added that Harris's charity work in education meant "no-one batted an eyelid" when he washed boys, and allowed youngsters to sleep in his bedroom at the remote home he owned on the outskirts of the town of Gilgil.

"You walked on water. But none of them knew you had a sexual motive."

A former public school teacher described as a prolific and calculating sexual predator has been jailed for 17 years and four months after abusing vulnerable young Kenyan street children.

• Read more: Keith Wilkinson on The double life of Simon Harris

Charity boss Simon Harris lured boys using food, money and the promise of schooling to his luxury home in the East African country where the abuse took place between 2002 and May 2013.

Harris, 55, of Pudleston near Leominster in Herefordshire, was convicted after trial last year of three indecent assaults and five sexual assaults, with one victim thought to be as young as nine.

He was also found guilty of four charges of possessing indecent images of children.

Former public school teacher and charity boss Simon Harris has been jailed at Birmingham Crown Court for 17 years and four months after abusing vulnerable Kenyan street children.

Harris lured boys using food, money and the promise of schooling to his luxury home in the East African country where the abuse took place between 2002 and May 2013.

Harris, of Pudleston near Leominster in Herefordshire, was convicted of three indecent assaults and five sexual assaults, with one victim thought to be as young as nine.

The 55 year old was also found guilty of four charges of possessing indecent images of children.