David Donald 61

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A pub singer has been jailed after admitting carrying out a catalogue of vile sexual abuse on four young boys.

David Donald, who performed as David Michaels in pubs and clubs around the region, plied the four boys with booze and drugs before inflicting his perverted sexual desires on them.

The sick pervert was branded a dangerous offender as a judge locked him up for 20 years.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the horrific abuse took place over a number of years in the 59-year-olds Teesside home and his caravan at Crimdon Dene holiday park.

Tom Mitchell, prosecuting, said the sexual abuse had a devastating impact on the four young boys after he would buy them gifts and expose them to pornography.

All four victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered multiple sexual assaults over a protracted period which started when they were all under the age of 16.

In heart-breaking victim impact statements, they all said their childhood had been stolen by the sex offender with some turning to drugs to help them cope with the mental torture.

One of the victims said he had attempted suicide to the trauma of the abuse after he started taking drugs as a child.

Another of his victims said he was unable to trust anyone to look after his own child and had lived homeless for a number of years after struggling to deal with the fall-out and perceived shame of the abuse he suffered.

Donald, of High Street, Eston, near Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to a total of 28 child sexual offences, including multiple charges of indecent assault on a child.

Paul Abrahams, in mitigation, said his client had fully admitted his offending at the earliest opportunity after his arrest and he has shown genuine remorse.

He said: He had a troubled upbringing but that in no way excuses his behaviour.

Judge Chris Smith sentenced Donald to a total of 20 years for all offences but made it clear the sentence would not undo all the damage his sexual abuse had caused all four of his victims after he blighted their young lives.

Your offending took place over many years, each of your victims was subjected to a sustained period of sexual abuse at your hands.

Your four victims have spent a lifetime affected by what you did to them all those years ago, he said.

It is understandable that they felt robbed of their childhood and the impact of what you did to them has followed them into their adult lives.

Their courage in the face of that considerable adversity is humbling.

Donald was also placed on the sex offenders register for the remainder of his life.