A CONVICTED sex-offender who fired at two youths with an air rifle after their friends called him a nonce has been jailed.

Mark Urwin, 36, snapped after months of torment from neighbours after his conviction for the indecent assault of a girl in July 1997.

The father-of-three fired the gun at the boys as they made their way home from a party in the early hours of August 5 last year.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Urwin received a barrage of hate and violent threats from neighbours.

His barrister, Jamie Hill, told the court: "Last summer the News of the World ran a campaign where they named and shamed paedophiles.

"Although he was not named, the effect the campaign had on him was that it reminded the people of the Hedworth Estate, in Jarrow, of what occurred in 1997.

"As a result of that, his first car was written-off, his second car was damaged and the windows of his house were put out."

Urwin, of Chestnut Close, Jarrow was jailed for nine months after admitting the offence.

Judge Rebecca Thornton said: "Nothing in the conduct of the young men justified your behaviour in any way.

"Although I do accept you would not have had a gun but for the effect of the tabloid newspaper campaign, which many people feel was a disgrace."

Urwin was cleared by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court of a further indecent assault on a 12-year-old girl last month.