A PERVERT who abused a schoolboy fled to the Lake District after being questioned by police and tried to kill himself, a court heard.

Former aircraft engineer Anthony Smith, from North Yorkshire, was found in a hotel in Winderemere where he had slashed his wrists.

Smith refused to discuss the allegations when he was quizzed in May and was released on bail as further inquiries were carried out.

Days later, the 41-year-old travelled to Cumbria and after the “determined” attempt on his life failed, he confessed. Smith, from the Norby Estate, near Thirsk, later admitted three charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity last year.

He was yesterday jailed for two years, placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years and banned for life from working with children.

Brian Russell, mitigating, told Teesside Crown Court that divorcee Smith “could not control the deep feelings he had for the boy”.

He accepted Smith “formed a highly inappropriate affection for his victim” but urged the judge to spare him jail so he could seek help.

The court heard how father-of-three Smith worked for 15 years in the Army as a helicopter engineer and was trusted and well-liked.

At the time of the offences, he was a £37,500-a-year electronics technician for Siemens, looking after trains at a site in Middlesbrough.

Mr Russell told the court: “He was well-paid and well-respected.

Things began to go wrong when he split up with his wife.”

The court heard how, on one occasion, Smith paid the boy £5 to engage in a sex act with him, and another £5 a few days later.

Details of the abuse came to light when the victim confided in a friend, and his parents were made aware of what had been happening.