A 'DEVIOUS' paedophile who murdered a 15-year-old girl to stop her reporting their sexual contact has been jailed for a minimum of 33 years.

Robert Ewing exploited vulnerable Blackpool teenager Paige Chivers for his sexual gratification and then decided to silence her when she threatened to go to the authorities.

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A jury at Preston Crown Court convicted the 60-year-old of her murder earlier this month but was not told that Ewing had previous convictions for child sex offences.

Ewing served a 12-month jail sentence in 1995 for gross indecency with a 13-year-old girl, whom he also indecently assaulted.

Sentencing him to life, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker told Ewing he had carried out a "carefully planned and executed murder" to avoid the prospect of returning to jail.

Arrogant Ewing, who smiled for his police mugshot photograph, sat with his arms folded for most of the hearing and calmly walked from the dock after sentencing.