A FORMER children's entertainer has been jailed for 30 years for multiple sex offences involving children.
Paul McKee, 57, who was known professionally as Professor Paulos, was found guilty of 13 offences involving seven children over a period of nearly 25 years.
McKee, originally from Wallasey Village in Merseyside, was arrested in Thailand in September 2022 by the Royal Thai Police before being extradited to stand trial in Liverpool.
He was found guilty after a trial at Liverpool Crown Court last month and was jailed on Monday for 30 years, with a further four years on extended licence.
"The offences McKee committed were truly horrific and spanned a number of years and victims," said Detective Constable Graeme Beacall of Merseyside Police.
The force's investigation began in 2017 when McKee's victims first came forward.
McKee was found to be living in Thailand but failed to return to assist police with their inquiries.
After charges against him were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service, the extradition process was initiated.
McKee was located and arrested by Royal Thai Police in September 2022 and spent a period on remand in Bangkok before being returned to Britain.
However, upon returning, he pleaded not guilty to the charges, forcing his victims to endure a trial.
"I hope that McKee's conviction and sentence will provide a sense of closure for his victims and finally allow them to move on with their lives," added DC Beacall.
"This case has proven that time and distance is no barrier to justice and that we will do everything within our powers to find the people responsible for committing crimes such as this and bringing them to justice, even when they attempt to flee to other countries.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the National Crime Agency and the Royal Thai Police for their assistance in bringing McKee to justice."