Former UK children’s entertainer sentenced to 30 years jail for sex crimes against kids
A former UK children’s entertainer was sentenced to 30 years in jail on Monday for multiple sex offences involving children.
Paul McKee, 57, was found guilty of 15 offences in June by the Liverpool Crown Court, UK media reported.
He had subjected his seven victims to sexual abuse for more than 25 years.
One incident involved the rape of a two-year-old girl. The court also heard that he made some of his victims watch pornography and videoed the abuse, and also got one of them pregnant.
McKee is originally from Wallasey Village, Wirral, an area in north-west England.
The 57-year-old was known professionally as Professor Paulos and performed for well-known British soap stars and at private parties.
Investigations into his crimes began in 2017 when McKee’s victims first came forward, according to the BBC.
He was working in a school in Thailand when he was arrested in September 2022, Thailand’s The Thaiger news website said. Prior to his arrest, the Royal Thai Police kept McKee under surveillance for two months.
After he was arrested, McKee spent a month on remand in Bangkok before he was extradited to the UK.
“Our investigation commenced in 2017 when his victims first came forward. At that time McKee had moved out of the UK and was confirmed to be living in Thailand, but at no point did he return to the UK to assist with our lengthy and prolonged inquiries,” said Detective Constable Graeme Beacall of the Merseyside Police.
Prosecutor David Roberts described the victims’ recorded interviews as “harrowing, dark, disturbing”.
At one point during the trial, McKee denied the charges levelled against him and even offered to “forgive” the complainants for their “accusations”.
In handing out the sentence, Judge David Swinnerton described McKee’s behaviour as “predatory and persistent over many years”.
He also highlighted the environment McKee created during his stint as a children’s performer, where kids were drawn to his home due to the illusion of entertainment, as well as McKee’s job at a school in Thailand to “put himself in close proximity to children”.
The judge also paid tribute to McKee’s victims for their “strength in coming forward and their determination and courage in giving evidence”.
“It is remarkable that they have been able to create the lives and families that they have,” Judge Swinnerton said.
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