Man is jailed for 22 years over abuse

A BRADFORD man who sexually abused young girls over a period of nearly half a century has been jailed for 22 years.

The case against Michael Cannon, 76, of Bolt by Lane, began in January 2016 when a 10-yearold girl alleged he had sexually abused her the previous summer at his home. It emerged he had been interviewed in 1998 for sexual touching of an 11-year-old girl.

A third victim disclosed that he had sexually assaulted her in Bradford over a five-year period from 1969, when she was just six.

Cannon was convicted of 18 charges at Bradford Crown Court, including indecent assault, sexual assault, rape and attempted rape. He was also found guilty of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, as well as engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child after it emerged he had contacted his most recent victim on Skype and other social media.