Teenager jailed for child abuse

A Londonderry teenager who admitted sexually abusing nine children has been jailed for four-and-a-half years at the city's Crown Court.

Gareth Martin, 18, of Marianus Park, began the abuse when he was aged 12 and it continued for more than three years.

The judge said seven boys and two girls aged between five and 14 endured "an horrific litany of abuse which would haunt many of them for years to come".

Some parents of the victims said they were disgusted at the jail term.

They said they were considering a request to the prosecution to begin an appeal for a longer sentence.

The judge ruled that Martin's name could be released because of the serious nature of the offences, which happened in the Coshquin area of Derry.

He said the young ages of the teenager's nine victims "highlighted their innocence".

Martin was also placed on the sex offenders register and received a sex offences prevention order, both for indefinite periods.