Children’s entertainer convicted of appalling sex offences

A children’s entertainer and Mormon who sexually abused a string of young girls has been warned that he may face a life sentence.

Paul McKee, who was known professionally as Professor Paulos, travelled around with his magic act entertaining at parties and events but was mainly based on the Wirral.

The defendant was extradited from Thailand, where he has a wife and child, to face trial and a jury has now convicted him of 13 sexual offences including multiple rapes and indecent assaults on seven girls spanning almost 25 years.

As the unanimous verdicts were returned in a highly charged courtroom at Liverpool Crown Court there were shouts of “yes” and some of the victims and their supporters broke down in tears in the public gallery.

They shouted thanks to the jurors, and clapped them as they left court, and one woman shouted at McKee that he was “a monster.”

McKee, 57, formerly of Wallasey Village, Wirral, who had denied that any of the offences happened, showed no emotion during the hearing. He was cleared of raping one of the women and buggery of another.

Judge David Swinnerton told the victims, “It has been difficult to listen to let alone live with as you have for a large part of your lives and I would like to acknowledge your strength and resilience.”

He told the jury of seven men and five women that he agreed with their verdicts because of the “very, very strong evidence against a man who has committed the most dreadful offences”.

Judge Swinnerton added: “It must have been very difficult for you to sit and listen and watch some of that evidence. We warned you it would be harrowing. We are relatively battle hardened as judges and advocates. Even for us this particular case has been emotionally gruelling.”

The judge further remanded McKee in custody to await sentence next month so a report can be prepared to assess dangerousness.

He told the grey-haired defendant it would help with the precise nature of sentence, either life or an extended sentence as this would affect his licence - if he is ever released.

“You know it will be a very very long sentence. You have committed the most dreadful crimes,” Judge Swinnerton warned him.