Wayne Thompson 44

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Wayne Thompson targeted the young boy :: He later came into contact with children when he met a 16-year-old on social media

A sex offender who targeted a very young boy in a sick campaign of abuse has been branded a dangerous offender by a judge.

Wayne Thompson's crimes were exposed in December when a jury found him guilty of sexual abusing the boy.

He had already admitted breaching a sexual offences protection order (SOPO), imposed some years ago when Thompson was found in possession of child abuse images.

Now, the 39-year-old has been locked up for six years - with an extended licence period of four years - for a host of depraved crimes.

Branding Thompson a dangerous offender, Judge Stephen Ashurst told him he "posed a significant risk of serious harm".

"I have read all the reports about you," said the judge.

"The worrying aspect is your continued denial of the offences, your continued denial of your sexual attraction to young boys, and despite being served with an order, you've continued to have contact with children.

"Your compliance has been superficial, and the measures taken have not been adequate to stop you offending."

The victim's mother told Teesside Crown Court on Monday that since the abuse her son "wasn't the little boy I gave birth to".

She said he'd needed medication after suffering nightmares and crippling anxiety, which became worse as December's trial date approached.

The boy gave evidence - and Thompson was found guilty on three counts of sexual assault and two of engaging in sexual activity with a child. He was acquitted of a rape charge.

But the court heard that as Thompson continued to abuse the boy, he was separately convicted at court of possessing indecent images of children, where he was given a SOPO.

This banned him from coming into contact with children without notifying the police.

But prosecutor Jo Kidd told the court on Monday that Thompson later met a 16-year-old boy on social media.

Thompson visited his home, where other children were living, and even accompanied the teen on family trips to Beamish, Lightwater Valley and soft play centres, with children present, putting him in breach of the order.

Thompson admitted those breaches at Teesside Magistrates' Court last July.

Mitigating, Stephen Littlewood said Thompson had "suffered from his own difficulties and has had mental health difficulties".

"This is no excuse," he said. "But from the letter the court has received from his father, it shows he is capable of kindness.

"He has looked after his 93-year-old grandmother and he may never get to see her again, out of custody."

Mr Littlewood accepted that Thompson, of Somerset Road, Guisborough, had breached his SOPO a number of times, but said there was no question he abused the other children he came into contact with.

Judge Ashurst said Thompson would serve his six year sentence, but then be subject to an extra four years of an 'extended licence' - and also made his SOPO indefinite.