Nathan Behrens, 21, of Julien Court Road, Braintree, has been jailed for 16 years with a further eight years on extended licence for a string of child sexual offences, including attempted rape, committed against a child as young as four.
Offences and admission
At Chelmsford Crown Court on May 15, Behrens admitted eight offences: attempted rape, three counts of sexual assault, assault by penetration, possession or making of indecent images of children, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, and causing a child to watch an image of sexual activity.
The offences took place between 2022 and 2025 and involved a child as young as four. Specialist officers built a case against him after speaking to the victims to take their accounts, and identified that Behrens had searched for child pornography on the internet.
Investigation and sentencing
Detective Constable Kai Ishaq said: “Nathan Behrens poses a significant risk to children. His actions have caused a great deal of harm to those affected and that can have a long-lasting effect.”
He added: “I want to pay tribute to the victims and their families in this case for the courage they have shown and thank them for trusting us to secure justice for them. Due to the meticulous investigation and the evidence we were able to build up against Behrens he has been left with no option but to admit his crimes and will now spend the foreseeable future behind bars.”
Behrens was jailed on Friday, with the extended licence period adding to the custodial term.
