Redruth, Cornwall: A father who subjected four children to two decades of physical and sexual violence has been jailed for 30 years.

The 50-year-old, from Redruth in Cornwall, regularly beat his children and raped his daughter between the ages of eight and ten.

He was found guilty of five counts of rape, 11 of indecent sexual assault, one of wounding and 14 of child cruelty at Exeter Crown Court, reports the BBC.

Judge Robert Linford described the crimes as ‘sadistic and wicked’.

The man, who is a kick boxer, prevented the children from receiving medical help to cover up his attacks.

The court heard he would force his sons to fight each other against their will, knowing he would beat them if they refused.

He would also force washing up liquid into the children’s mouths if they said something he did not like, and shot them with a ball-bearing gun.

As well as raping his daughter, he sexually abused his stepdaughter between the ages of six and ten.

During the trial the jury heard how the two boys and two girls were beaten and abused regularly over a 22 year period between 1987 and 2009.

He also attacked his wife so savagely that she was permanently disfigured and then ordered the children to clean up the blood from his bedroom.

The judge told him: ‘This is the story of lost childhoods and also a story of the most sadistic and wicked abuse that it is almost possible to imagine a man could visit on his children and step children.

‘It was hateful and extreme abuse.’