JAYESH KHUNTI

A LOUGHBOROUGH MAN HAS BEEN JAILED AFTER HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF SEXUALLY ABUSING FIVE CHILDREN IN THE 1980S.

A Loughborough man has been jailed after he was found guilty of sexually abusing five children in the 1980s.

Detectives from the force's Child Abuse Investigation Unit (CAIU) have praised Jayesh Khunti's victims for their bravery in providing evidence that led to him being sentenced at Leicester Crown Court today (Friday 26 September).

Two victims - a man and woman - first contacted the force in 2022 to report what had happened and as the investigation progressed, two men and a woman were spoken to and disclosed that they too had been sexually abused by Khunti.

On 30 May, following a trial at Leicester Crown Court, 56-year-old Khunti was found guilty of: Seven counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14 years Five counts of indecent assault on a boy under the age of 14 years Three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 years of age One count of committing buggery with a boy under 16 years of age Khunti, of Beck Crescent, Loughborough, was sentenced to a total of 13 years' imprisonment and placed on the sex offender register for life.

Detective Constable Katie Harris, from the CAIU’s non-recent team, was the investigating officer.

She said: "First and foremost, I hope today's outcome provides those involved in this case with a degree of closure.

"They've continued to live their lives as victims of sexual abuse for several decades and - because Khunti continued to protest his innocence - had to re-live their ordeals in front of a jury.

However, the detail of their accounts was key in securing a conviction and ensuring that Khunti is now in prison.

"I hope this case serves as a reminder to any other victims of non-recent sexual abuse that it's never too late to tell us what happened and that offenders can be brought to justice."