A MAN who sexually abused three children was jailed for seven years yesterday.

Frederick Jackson, 56, admitted offences that dated back more than 20-years, involving a girl and two boys, one of whom had autism.

Jackson, a former kitchen porter at Finchale College, Durham, previously admitted five charges of indecent assault and one of inciting a boy to commit an act of gross indecency.

He denied rape, relating to a 26-year-old woman, a charge the prosecution agreed to leave on file.

At Durham Crown Court Anne Richardson, prosecuting, said the victims were now aged between 18 and their 30s.

Jackson, married for 31 years, previously lived in the Belmont and Bearpark areas, near Durham.

When the allegations were made, in October last year, he was arrested at a caravan where he was living at a site at Cocken Lodge Farm, Leamside, near Durham.

When asked about some of the allegations he agreed he was responsible and said he "just got sexual urges".

He agreed he had offered the girl involved £5 to perform indecent acts and said he now felt deep shame.

Chris Morrison, in mitigation, said: "He was dysfunctional sexually from an early age but married young and settled down. The offences were fuelled by pornography and exaggerated by alcohol."

Mr Morrison said that it had led to Jackson attempting suicide in 2002.

Judge Maurice Carr said, having read pre-sentence reports, it appeared Jackson did now feel "disgusted" at his conduct.

Judge Carr also disqualified Jackson from working with children, and placed him on the sex offenders' register for life.