Blackpool man and brother jailed for rape and sexual assault of seven children
Kert Birtwistle and Jordan Wright will spend a total of 30 years in prison
A Blackpool man and his brother have been jailed for the rape and sexual assault of seven children.
Kert Birtwistle, 29, of Bright Street, Blackpool was jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of 14 counts of rape and sexual assault.
He and his brother, Jordan Wright, 30, of no fixed address, carried out their crimes against boys and girls, all aged under 13 at the time, between 2009 and 2013 mainly in Preston.
Wright pleaded guilty of 18 charges including rape and sexual assault. He has been jailed for 16 years and two months.
Detective Sergeant Rachel Benn of the South Exploitation Team said: “First and foremost I would like to commend the victims in this case for having the courage to come forward and speak up about what happened to them, without their bravery we would never have been able to secure these convictions and sentences against two very clearly dangerous offenders and I hope they feel some sense that justice has been done.
“I hope that the sentences handed down by the court gives others who may have suffered similar ordeals the courage to come forward and speak up in the knowledge that we will investigate sensitively and professionally.”