LONER Andrew Margetts who abused three children in a campaign of abuse in what was described as a ‘modern-day horror story’ has had his jail sentenced cut by five years.

Andrew Margetts, 31, of Friarn Avenue, Bridgwater, was accused of starting the attacks on a toddler when he was just seven and continued offending against another boy and girl over a 15-year period.

London’s Court of Appeal has ruled he will now only serve 20 years of the original sentenced handed to him at Taunton Crown Court in January.

He stood trial accused of 23 charges, seven counts of rape, seven of indecent assault, three counts of false imprisonment, two of indecent assault, two counts of gross indecency, one sexual assault and one of engaging a child in sexual activity.

He denied all the charges but a jury found him guilty and he was sent down for 25 years.

Prosecutor Sean Brunton said at the time: "It has taken great courage for these three witnesses to come and give evidence here in court in front of the defendant.

"The jury has heard Margetts comes from a chaotic and dysfunctional family background with his mother suffering from mental illness.

"He was bullied at school and became increasingly isolated, becoming overweight and more and more confined to his squalid bedroom where there was just a mattress for a bed, with rotting food and bottles of urine stacked along the walls," Mr Brunton said.

"It was a twilight, grotesque half-life, a modern-day Bridgwater horror story quite frankly.

"It is something you think you would only read about in the Daily Mail or at the beginning of a crime television programme.

"But it was bleak, tragic and all too real. Sadly it was real for the three victims as well."

Mr Brunton said Margetts persistently refuted the claims against him but had been at a loss to explain Facebook messages to the alleged victims almost a decade after the attacks were said to have taken place.

Defending, Emma Martin emphasised the jury had to strive to uphold the burden of proof in court.

She said: "It is not for him to prove that these are false allegations, it up to the prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that these offences took place."

Mrs Martin said there were a number of details and inconsistencies in the case which the jury should examine carefully before arriving at their decision.

Mr Justice Spencer, sitting at the appeal court on Tuesday, December 5, highlighted the deprived circumstances in which he was raised and said his youth was a central feature of the case and reduced his sentence.