A SHOOTING champion who groomed children as young as five and sexually abused them over several years has been locked up.

Scott Greenfield, 41, of Manor Road, Benfleet, carried out a series of rapes and sexual assaults on boys and girls as young as five.

The former British clay pigeon shooting champion, who has also represented England and captained the Essex team at major tournaments, carried out the abuse in Tilbury between 1989 and 1993.

Greenfield had denied one count of rape, four counts of indecent assault, one of gross indecency with a child, one count of inciting a boy under 14 to engage in sexual activity and three counts relating to a serious sexual offence.

He was found guilty after a two-week trial at Southend Crown Court and was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Friday to five years and four months in prison.

One of his victims bravely spoke to the Echo about his anger at having to relive the abuse during the trial.

He said: “He abused me from the age of five until I was ten years old. He was just a bully all the way through.

“It was hard to watch him in court denying it ever happened.

“I am happy with the sentence. I never thought it would go to court with it being such a long time ago.

“The police were fantastic all the way through. I never thought I would be believed, particularly as he was quite well-known in the shooting world. When it happened, this sort of abuse was not highlighted the way it is now.”

Greenfield insisted throughout his trial that the allegations were made up.

But he failed to convince the jury after damning text messages were read out in court.

A witness also recounted how she overheard a confession from Greenfield when he was speaking to a relative without knowing he was on speaker phone.

Until now, Greenfield was a respected figure in the world of clay pigeon shooting who travelled the world competing in major tournaments.

He was called up to represent England in September 2005 aged 29 and he won the British Open in 2011.

Greenfield also reached the finals of the World Sporting Championships in 2012.

Nick Fellows, chief executive of the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association, said Greenfield is now barred from shooting .

He said: “I would say the reaction of the shooting community is one of shock.

“Clearly what he has done is absolutely terrible. As far as the CPSA is concerned his membership has been terminated.”