An 80-year-old man has been jailed for 12 years after admitting sexual offences against four victims spanning almost three decades.

Paul Sidney Whysall, of Fairfield Terrace, Douglas, pleaded guilty to 31 charges at the Court of General Gaol Delivery, including 20 sexual assaults on children, two sexual assaults on adults and nine counts of making indecent images.

The offending took place at addresses in the Isle of Man between 1995 and 2023.

During sentencing on Thursday, Deemster Graeme Cook described Whysall as ‘a sexual predator’ and said: ‘You have been a paedophile since the mid-90s. It goes beyond anyone’s imagination what you got up to.’

The court heard that 12 of the assaults involved one victim aged between 11 and 16 at the time. Another seven assaults related to a second victim, six of which were committed when he was between 11 and 16, and one when he was an adult.

There was a further assault against an 11-year-old boy and one against a woman aged 19.

Prosecutor Katheryn Johnson said the offences included touching, groping, kissing and more serious assaults involving oral and digital penetration. She told the court there was also evidence of grooming.

She added that had some of the offences been committed after new legislation introduced last year, two counts would have been classed as rape.

Mrs Johnson also told the court that two of the victims had described seeing Whysall wearing women’s underwear.

Victim impact statements were read out in court. One victim said: ‘I feel he stole my childhood from me and I will not get those years back but I am glad no one else will now be hurt by him.’

Another said he was ‘sexualised from a young age which impacted on me in the future’.

A third victim said: ‘I was a happy kid but he took that happiness away from me.’

The female victim said she was ‘shocked’ by what happened and added: ‘I will never forget what he did to me.’

Police later seized electronic devices from Whysall, which contained 52 indecent images and one video. These included 20 images at level one, 14 at level two, three at level three, 12 at level four and one at level five. The video was classed as level four.

Whysall initially denied the charges but later pleaded guilty.

Defence advocate Paul Glover said his client had no relevant previous convictions and had eventually admitted the offences, showing some remorse. He told the court there was scope for rehabilitation.

Whysall was jailed for five years for the most serious offence involving the first victim, and three years and six months for the most serious offence against the second victim. He was also sentenced for offences committed against a victim in adulthood, the assault on the woman and the making of indecent images.

The consecutive terms added up to a total of 12 years.

Whysall was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life and placed on the sex offenders’ register.

Deemster Cook told him: ‘You can never underestimate the impact offending like this has on young children. Some may never get over what has happened to them but I hope they do. Your behaviour towards them has had a devastating effect.’