TWO paedophiles who plotted attacks on young girls boasted about their sickening fantasies in a series of letters.

Michael Smith, 42, and Stephen Turner, 53, met in Frankland Prison while serving prison sentences for previous attacks on children.

Smith was released from a nine-year sentence and Turner from a four-year sentence in 2001 when they met at Durham railway station to exchange addresses.

The friends then planned to target youngsters and single women with children who could be abused.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how the pair encouraged each other to carry out sickening acts through obscene letters exchanged from Smith's lodgings at Pennywell bail hostel and Turner's home in Rotheram, South Yorks.

Prosecutor Robert Woodcock told the court: "If they had not been stopped they would sooner or later have committed the crimes they incited each other to commit, the rape and indecent assault of children."

As part of the campaign Smith used a new name, after changing it five times, to obtain work as a cleaner on the Metro system in May last year.

The service is used by hundreds of women and young children daily and it is believed he used the post to pick out potential targets.

Mr Woodcock said: "That gave him the opportunity, as indeed he said to Mr Turner, to view the whereabouts and the movements of particular schoolchidlren."

After the pair were arrested, the stash of sickening letters and a collection of children's clothing were found at Turner's home.

Both denied incitement to rape and indecent assault but were found guilty by a jury after just over an hour.

Judge Michael Cartlidge adjourned sentence for the preparation of reports to assess the extent of the danger they pose in future.