Sex monster Mark Thorne, who targeted lonely Basildon mothers in their homes at night, was today starting a seven-year jail sentence.

He also received a three-year extension to his prison licence for him to undergo a sex offenders' programme.

Thorne's sentence brought loud sighs of joy and relief from victims who sat in the public gallery at Basildon Crown Court.

One woman commented: "Thank God, he got what he deserved. He will now be off the streets for a few years."

Thorne, 35, indecently touched his terrified victims while they slept. In other cases, he stood in their bedrooms and stared at them.

He was told by Judge Nicholas Jones: "These offences must have been every woman's nightmare."

He gave Thorne credit for confessing to his crimes which spared his victims from giving evidence in court.

Thorne had pleaded guilty at an earlier court hearing to five offences of indecent assault and two of harassment.

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Published Monday, March 25, 2002