A convicted paedophile currently behind bars in HMP Belmarsh has been sentenced to life after he used his position as a live-in au pair to abuse dozens of children.

Already convicted as a child abuser in Bromley, the 28-year-old man has now admitted to 40 further offences including rape against more than 20 young victims in "one of the most serious child abuse cases Met Police have seen."

Aaron McWilliams, 28, is described by Met Police as "manipulative, cold, calculating and highly dangerous to young people."

Detective Superintendent Adam Ghaboos said: “McWilliams is a predatory paedophile who sexually abused a large number of children he was entrusted to care for. It is every family’s worst nightmare."

A total of 23 boys and one girl aged between four months and 14-years-old were identified during the investigation as victims.

McWilliams was first convicted in 2016 for sexually assaulting a four-year-old boy, but was released after serving part of his sentence.

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Within a few weeks of his release, he began working with another family after using phony references.

There, he sexually abused another four-year-old child, who told their parents, and McWilliams was jailed for seven years in August 2017.

His phone was seized as part of the investigation, and detectives subsequently found a total of 2,472 incident images of children, plus an extensive collection of videos McWilliams had made of himself sexually abusing his young victims.

He was interviewed twice in 2018 about the material on his phone, and made admissions about his abuse of children.

The 28-year-old has since admitted to 40 further offences to over 20 more victims.

The offences were committed between 2012 and 2017 in different parts of the UK and Europe, including Bromley.

Aaron McWilliams, of HMP Belmarsh, was sentenced to life, to serve a minimum of nine years’ imprisonment at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday 2 November, after admitting to the following offences:

- Fourteen counts of inciting a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity (penetration)

- Eight counts of inciting a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity (no penetration)

- Seven counts of sexual assault on a boy by touching

- Three counts of making an indecent photo of a child

- Three counts of sexual assault on a child

- Two counts of rape of a boy under 13

- Attempted rape of a boy under 13

- Sexual assault on a girl by touching

- Engage in sexual activity with a boy under 15

DS Ghaboos, of the Central East Safeguarding team added: “I would like to acknowledge the courage of the young victims and their families who have endured the horrific abuse and the long-term harm these types of crimes cause. Their information has led to this prosecution, and McWilliams will spend a long time in jail where he cannot harm any other children.

“I also want to highlight the exceptional work of the investigation team for their tireless efforts throughout this harrowing investigation to secure justice for all the victims and their families.”

“Our enquiries have led us to a large number of McWilliams’ victims, but we can’t rule out the possibility that there may be more. I would urge any families who have employed McWilliams or believe that he may have had contact with their children to come forward.”