A SEXUAL deviant who systematically abused two young children two decades ago has been jailed for carrying out a horrific catalogue of sexual assaults.

Gareth Jones regularly abused the youngsters before attempting to rape the young boy and girl when he would assault them on a regular basis while living in Middlesbrough in the 1990s.

The 43-year-old sexually abused the boy when he was just a teenager himself before then turning his perverted attention towards the girl when she was aged under ten and he was in his 20s.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the abuse came to light December 2018 when the female victim came forward to the police and told of the devastation the attacks had on her life.

In a powerful victim impact statement, the woman said: “I was abused from a very age and it has affected me throughout my life. I misbehaved at school as I wanted attention, I would get flashbacks at school and my behaviour affected my grades.”

The victim said the abuse had destroyed her trust in men and she needed counselling to deal with her trauma.

“I was once missed an exam at college because I saw him at the bus stop and it made me feel ill,” she added.

“I suffered nightmares and flashbacks because of the abuse; I wake up in tears. When I reported the abuse to the police I started sleeping too much and became depressed and wouldn’t leave my bedroom.”

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said the defendant had no previous convictions and was found unanimously guilty of 12 charges following a trial.

Jones, of Highfield Hotel, Middlesbrough, was found guilty of three charges of indecent assault and attempted rape on the boy who was told ‘he would be suffocated with a pillow’ if he told anyone about the abuse, Mr Dodds added.

He was found guilty of four charges of causing or inciting sexual activity with a child; attempted rape; and three charges of assault by penetration.

Mr Dodds said the defendant threatened to ‘kill himself’ if she ever told anyone about the abuse she endured.

Vicki Lamballe, in mitigation, said her client suffers with a learning disability and continues to deny the offences he was convicted of.

She added: “There is regrettably no expressions of remorse, however how late, that I can offer on his behalf.”

Judge Jonathan Carroll sentenced Jones to a total of 14 years in custody with an additional year on extended licence upon his release for all offences.

He said: “You were aged about 16 or 17, though I recognise that you suffer with significant learning difficulties and in many ways you were child-like at the time.

“You wold play out with young children because of your difficulties but you reached the stage in your life where your hormones, sexual interests, started to outgrow your mental capacity.

“You took the opportunity to explore those sexual desires with only those you could get hold of and sadly, for your victim, that meant him.”

Dealing with the abuse of the young girl, the judge added: “She was just four when you started your sexual experimentation with her. You were no longer a child, you were about 28.

“I accept that you continued to display child-like characteristics well into your adult life but you understood right from wrong. You knew full well what you were doing was wrong, not just wrong but seriously wrong.

“I know that from the attempts you made to frighten her into not telling anybody. Attempts that were successful for many years.

“You employed threats and emotional blackmail.”

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