A "dangerous, predatory paedophile" who committed multiple child abuse offences over a 20-year period has been jailed.

Adam Justice-Mills, 61, of Haringey, was sentenced to 17 years behind bars at Wood Green Crown Court on February 2 after pleading guilty to 78 counts of child sexual offences in Barnet and Haringey between 2000 and 2020.

This included incidents of rape, attempted rape and other sexual offences relating to two female victims who were known to Justice-Mills and were children at the time of the offences.

He also admitted to possessing/making indecent images of children.

The court heard how Justice-Mills’ offending came to light when police received information which expressed concern for the risk he posed to children. It was later established that Justice-Mills’ had made admissions to abuse carried out over a long period of time.

Police arrested Justice-Mills on Friday, January 31 at his home address.

He was charged on Saturday, February 8.

Justice-Mills pleaded guilty to all counts when presented with overwhelming evidence gathered by detectives from the Met’s North Area Public Protection Unit.

A search of Justice-Mills’ address following his arrest revealed a sophisticated computer set up with an array of external hard drives.

Forensic interrogation of the devices seized revealed in excess of 170,000 illegal images of children, including those of the most serious category.

A ‘Confessions’ diary written by Justice-Mills, spanning ten years, was also extracted from his computer files. The document revealed the sickening scale of his offending and his abhorrent desires towards children.

Detective Constable Virginia Condren, the investigating officer from the Met’s North Area Public Protection Unit, said: “Justice-Mills is a dangerous, predatory paedophile who has preyed on our most vulnerable members of society for his own sexual gratification. It is of great reassurance that he will serve a lengthy sentence as punishment for his offending.

“For the victims there is no length of sentence that will undo the trauma or replace the innocence he has taken.

“The resilience and fortitude they have shown is nothing short of commendable. I can only hope that this sentence serves as a starting point for their recovery and that this is encouragement to other children and victims of abuse to have confidence in the police and speak out against their abusers.”

One of the victims in the case said: “He deserves everything he’s been given and more. He disguised himself as an upstanding member of society using his power to satisfy his repulsive desires.

“I now see light at the end of the tunnel knowing he can only see the world through his cell window. I hope the notion of freedom haunts him.

“Finally I am able to start healing, leaving the trauma he has caused behind. I can now move on and live my life to the full knowing he cannot.

“I do not need pity or sympathy, I have my rock by my side and will continue to be strong. One day I’ll be strong enough to speak out in full, I want to help victims of such crimes understand it is safe to do so.”