A paedophile was jailed for five years yesterday after he threatened to kill a youngster if she told anyone that he had sexually abused her.

Teesside Crown Court was told that Neville Gray, 49, also punched the girl and he spat on her.

The girl told her mother three years later and the police and Social Services became involved, but when two male police officers turned up to interview her she refused to go ahead, said prosecutor Shaun Dodds.

Last year she spoke to two policewomen, and she made a full disclosure. Mr Dodds added:"She said that he told her 'If you tell anyone what I did I will kill you'."

Malcolm Styles, defending, said that both Gray and his partner had received threats and abuse since his arrest, and he was not able to be frank with a probation officer who prepared his pre-sentence report.

The indecencies happened on a few occasions, and Gray may have been confused about what went on because he suffered from epilepsy which left him with memory loss, added Mr Styles.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough Judge Peter Fox QC told Gray that the consequences of his sexual abuse were severe.

Gray of Greenfields Road, Bishop Auckland, was jailed for five years and he was ordered to register as a sex offender for life after he pleaded guilty to two specimen indecent assaults and also to child cruelty .