WASHINGTON, US - A court in the US state of Arkansas sentenced an elderly American religious evangelist to 175 years in prison on Friday for sexually abusing girls as young as eight.

Bernie Hoffman, otherwise known as Tony Alamo, the founder of Tony Alamo Christian Ministries, was convicted in July of transporting girls across state lines and sexually abusing them.

Judge Harry Barnes sentenced Hoffman, 75, to 175 years in prison for 10 separate counts and fined him 250,000 US dollars, justice officials said. --AFP