A serial sexual offender who travelled across the country targeting children has been jailed for more than six years.

All of Robert Parrish’s victims, including one in Stevenage, were girls aged between six and 13.

The 51-year-old was jailed for six years and two months for eight sexual assaults, five exposures and two counts of voyeurism at Huntingdon Crown Court on Thursday.

Det Con Ralph King from Cambs police said: “Parrish was a serial offender who travelled around the eastern region looking for opportunities to offend. He is clearly a danger to children and will be under tight restrictions when he is released from prison.

“I would like to pay tribute to all the victims who showed such bravery in coming forward and ensuring Parrish was brought to justice.”

Parrish, of Broadgate in Weston, Lincolnshire, targeted the girls between July and September last year.

As well as Stevenage, further assaults happened in Peterborough, Whittlesey, St Neots, Milton Keynes and Humberside.

In total he was jailed for four years for a sexual assault in Peterborough on August 3 and four years for a sexual assault in Hull on September 1. These sentences will run concurrently.

Parrish received a further 12 months in custody for a further six sexual assaults, 10 months for exposure, and four months for voyeurism. All of these will run concurrently.

He had pleaded guilty to the offences at an earlier hearing in June.

When Parrish is released he will be made subject to a sexual offences prevention order, which will stop him going near to areas frequented by children, having unsupervised contact with under 16s, and will monitor his internet usage.

He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.