Craig brothers
Robert Craig (L) and his brother Richard were both convicted of abusing the same three young victims Kane County Sheriff's Dept

An Illinois man has been told he will never be released from jail after he was found guilty of sexually abusing the same three young children as his brother had previously done.

Robert Craig, 49, from Carpentersville, was handed 11 life sentences after being convicted of 11 counts of predatory criminal sexual assault and six counts of criminal sexual abuse relating to three victims, all aged under 13.

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Craig was found guilty of committing the offences between 1999 and 2010 in Carpentersville. He was told by the Illinois Department of Corrections he will never be allowed to apply for parole.

According to prosecutors, the children the 49-year-old was convicted of abusing were also assaulted by his brother, Richard Craig.

Richard Craig is currently serving a 20-year jail term after he pleaded guilty in 2006 to predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

In 2014, one of the victims told a school counsellor that she had been sexually assaulted by Robert Craig. The counsellor then reported the abuse to the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS).

State's attorney Joe McMahon said: "Robert and Richard Craig are child predators. Their crimes stole a normal childhood from these children. Their place is not in a civilised society but prison. And after that, they both will have one more judgement to face.

"The public has no tolerance for those who harm the most vulnerable among us. By demanding mandatory life prison sentences for those who commit such hideous crimes, the General Assembly has given its assurance that evil people like Robert Craig can no longer prey on children.

"The horrific facts about the Craig brothers' actions came to light because someone made a report to DCFS on behalf of these three victims," McMahon added. "I cannot stress enough the importance of making a report when someone suspects such abuse. Anyone can make a report."

Illinois law states that a person convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child against two or more victims shall be sentenced to a term of life in prison for each count.