CHILD rapist Kevin Dunford continued to work for the county council after he was charged with 21 offences relating to the abuse of youngsters aged 13 and under.

The predator, of Bayfran Way in Blandford, was jailed for 20 years on Monday, March 7, after being convicted of a slew of charges.

But before being jailed, Dunford had continued with his work for Dorset County Council's highways division while on bail.

He was initially suspended in September 2014, but returned to work on limited duties 10 months later after council bosses completed a "through risk assessment".

A spokesperson for the council said: "In keeping with employment legislation, where an employee is facing criminal charges the council has to decide whether to suspend the individual or not.

"We take into account a range of information, including the nature of the allegations, the employee’s role and the advice of other professionals, such as the safeguarding team.

"Every case is based on its individual facts. In this instance, there was a long period of time between being made aware of the allegations and the proposed court date. It was felt that continuing to employ Dunford with conditions, including no unsupervised contact with the public, out-weighed having an employee on full paid leave for over a year.

"On his return to work, Dunford’s duties were either office-based or working alongside highways inspectors. He was supervised at all times when working outside of the depot."

Dunford's contract will "now be terminated with immediate effect", he added.

Dunford, 43, targeted his first victim in the 1980s when he himself was a teenager.

In his mid-20s, he told a girl more than 15 years his junior that they were in a relationship with each other.

He raped her in her own home, later driving her to a secluded area and putting a shotgun in his mouth in a warning not to tell her family about him.

Dunford, a former retained firefighter, was convicted of 12 counts of indecent assault, four of indecency with a child, two of attempted rape and two of rape following a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court.

He was found not guilty of one count of indecent assault.

It is believed that Duford first abused a child in 1985.

The most recent offence before the court took place in the late 1990s.