A FOOTBALL club coach abused young boys at his home, plying them with drink and also watching porn with them, a court heard.

Anthony McGrath ran a junior team football team on Teesside and was also known to many in the football fraternity from his appearances as Middlesbrough Football Club mascot ‘Roary the Lion’.

McGrath, 41,who also worked in the club shop, committed offences over a 16 year period from the early 1990s.

Teesside Crown Court heard that one of the victims was invited to McGrath’s home on the pretext of making a horror film.

He was given crisps and sweets with the defendant committing a sex act on him. A complaint was made at the time to police, but the Crown Prosecution Service chose not to pursue the case.

Prosecuting, Rupert Doswell, said the victim’s mother contacted police again years later after revelations about sex abuse in the football industry were publicised.

A subsequent police investigation led to five other complainants coming forward and being interviewed.

Mr Doswell described a number of encounters involving McGrath who befriended young boys and had them stay over at his home, frequently with their parents’ knowledge.

In one instance McGrath put on a pornographic movie before again committing a sex act on one victim, who said he “froze”.

Another complainant said McGrath bought lager and locked him in his bedroom, which was covered with Middlesbrough FC memorabilia.

He described how the room was spinning and said he believed he had been drugged somehow. The youngster said McGrath got into bed with him and touched him across his genitals while he had his boxer shorts on.

The following morning he recalled waking up, naked, with McGrath alongside him.

The defendant also kissed and hugged another boy after taking him on a trip to the cinema and told the teenager he was only being friendly.

Two of the victims bravely read out impact statements at court. One said he wanted McGrath to reflect on the suffering his victims had gone through and described how he tried in vain to warn others about his offending, including Middlesbrough Football Club.

Another complainant said McGrath, who was described as “jovial” and displaying child-like behaviour, had “ruined [his] life” and messed with his head.

He said: “What the man has done to me is disgusting and I am sure he has hurt a lot of other boys in the process.”

Sarah Lindop, mitigating, said three of the offences involved naked genitalia, while the remainder were touching over clothing.

She said McGrath had entered guilty pleas on the day of his trial and deserved appropriate credit.

McGrath, formerly of Thornton Street, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, admitted three indecent assaults, two charges of sexual activity with a child, sexual assault and indecency with a child.

Jailing him for nine years in total, Judge Peter Armstrong said: “You have an entrenched distorted thinking matrix which results in you being attracted to young boys.”

Detective Sergeant Dan Heron, from Cleveland Police, said: “The focus should be entirely on the bravery and courage shown by all of the victims in this case.

“Despite being subjected to the most serious of crimes at such a young age, they have found the strength to see this to the end.

“Anthony McGrath manipulated circumstances to take advantage of innocent children and it is only right that he now goes to prison to reflect on the damage he has caused them.

“My hope is that the victims can now start to close this horrific chapter of their life and begin moving forward.”