A BUS DRIVER who sexually molested six young girls over an 11-year period was has been jailed for four years.

Michael Cratchley told a 13-year-old victim he might even marry her, Worcester Crown Court heard.

The sex pest, who never had a girlfriend over the past 20 years, mounted attacks at his council house, a lock-up garage, a car and in woods.

A jury convicted 40-year-old Cratchley, of Redhill, Hereford, of 22 counts of indecent assault. He was cleared of two similar offences.

Judge Michael Mott said the sentence had to be substantial because of the sheer number of victims.

He said some had been deeply affected by Cratchley's behaviour and no-one knew how long they would carry the emotional scars.

The judge ordered the defendant to sign on the sex offenders' register for life.

Prosecutor Nicolas Cartwright described how girls visited the house while Cratchley's mother and disabled brother were still alive and after they both died.

The attacks began in 1988 and were against girls aged from six to 13. Some called to borrow Disney videos.

Cratchley developed a crush on one girl and told her he might marry her when she was 18. He liked to kiss and cuddle her - and even suggested sex behind a tree.

But she told her mother after enduring many months of fondling and it set in train a police inquiry.

A 20-year-old said she was 'gobsmacked' when she heard of the investigation and revealed that Cratchley had simulated sex with her in a garage eight years ago.

Hereford police then traced four other victims with similar stories.

Others told how he made suggestive comments about their bodies and a 19-year-old said: "He touched me so many times I can't recall them all."

In an interview with detectives, Cratchley admitted limited touching but said he was only 'pratting about'.

He confessed he loved the 13-year-old as a friend but insisted there was no sexual attraction.

Peter Carr, defending, said he had not enticed children to come to his home.

He had already served seven months in custody on remand and had not found it an easy experience.