A man has been jailed for 21 years for abusing teenage boys he met and groomed using the CB radio network more than 30 years ago.
Trevor Franklin, 61, was convicted of 11 charges of non-recent child sexual abuse after a three-week trial at the Inner London Crown Court.
He was found guilty of raping a teenage boy and indecently assaulting three other children between 1985 and 1993.
Officers in the Met’s Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Abuse Command (SOECA) began an investigation in early 2015 after one of the victims told an officer at Surrey Police about the sexual abuse he had suffered.
Three of the boys, aged between 11 and 15 years old, came into contact with Franklin through the use of CB radios.
The victims all described how Franklin, who was aged in his late 20s and 30s at the time of the offences, befriended them and invited them to his home.
He also took the boys on trips in his car and gave them alcohol and cigarettes.
PC Luke Pressling, of the Met’s Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Abuse Command, said: “Franklin is a predatory paedophile who abused the trust of four boys he had befriended.
“I would like to commend the courage of the four men who reported the offences to police and gave evidence in court.
“Although no prison sentence can ever make up for the physical and psychological damage caused by the appalling abuse they suffered, I hope the long sentence given to Franklin gives them some form of closure.
“This case highlights that, no matter the length of time that has passed, the public should feel reassured that we will thoroughly investigate all historic sexual offences and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.”
Franklin, of Mayplace Road East, Bexleyheath, was convicted of two charges of rape and eight charges of indecent assault on boys under the age of 16.
