A former housemaster who sexually abused boys in his care has been jailed for 14 years.

Andrew Duncan, 66, who has no previous convictions, showed no emotion as he was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court for the offences which date back more than 30 years.

Two of his victims were boarders at a special school for boys in Portslade in the early Seventies when he abused them.

One victim, now 47, claimed he was 14 when he was targeted by Duncan at Mile Oak School for Boys. He said the teacher would take him from his bed in the middle of the night and abused him 100 times over two years.

The other victim broke down and wept as he recalled to the jury how he was abused while having a shower at the school.

A third man accused Duncan of sexually abusing him in the late Eighties when the victim was a teenager and his attacker was his social worker in Hove.

Duncan, of Church Road, Portslade, a married father-of-two, was convicted by a jury of 12 charges of buggery and indecent assault after a trial in January. He had denied all charges.

Judge Anthony Niblett told Duncan he had been in a position of trust as a housemaster at a boarding school and as a social worker when he violated the boys over many years. The judge said: "Instead of caring for and protecting those boys as was your duty, you manipulated and violated them to satisfy your own sexual desires. The consequences of your actions were incalculable. One boy said you ruined his life."

The judge told Duncan that as he continued to deny his guilt he remained a risk in the future. He ordered him to sign on the sex offenders' register for life.

During the trial the court heard the offences came to light in 2004 when one of the victims reported the abuse to his doctor.

Duncan denied all the allegations and told the court the abuse had never happened.

Selwyn Shapiro, defending, said Duncan was suffering from poor health and depression.

He presented to the judge what he described as moving testimonials from family, friends and former work colleagues.

He said Duncan was seen as "heroic" in the eyes of his children.

Mr Shapiro asked the judge to take into account Duncan's previous good character when passing sentence. He said: "This is a man who clearly by the jury's verdict has behaved in a reprehensible manner, but I ask you to give him credit for the good he has done in society."

After the hearing a police spokeman said: "We are pleased that after today's sentence the victims have finally received the justice they deserve after all these years.

"We would encourage any victims of sexual abuse to come forward and speak to the police. Reporting things that have happened to you, no matter how much time has passed, may prevent another person being abused. The verdict is proof that your complaint will be investigated."