Man charged with sex abuse of eight underage girls over 44-year-period

A MAN is facing 21 historic sex abuse charges concerning eight underage girls, with the alleged attacks said to have taken place over 44 years.

Colin Disney, 68, from Stambridge Road, Rochford, will appear at Southend Magistrates' Court (above) on Monday.

The girls he allegedly abused were aged between eight and under 16 at the time of the alleged offences.

One girl was allegedly abused over a nine-year period, from 1979 to 1998, in Wickford, Essex, with two others allegedly abused for around seven years each.

The alleged offending began in 1972 in Sherbourne, Gloucestershire, before moving to Wickford from 1979 into the 1980s.

There was alleged offending in the 1990s until 1998.

It allegedly resumed in 2009 until November 2016.

The case is expected to be moved to crown court due to the nature of the alleged offences.