A MAN who sexually abused two vulnerable young girls, leaving them suffering subsequent emotional and psychological turmoil, was jailed for a total of 22 years.

James William Watson, 66, was said to have put one girl through “psychological torture”, having blackmailed her, demanding that she complied with his sexual demands or he would post compromising images of her on social media.

Durham Crown Court heard that he warned her she would become, “the most famous 14-year-old girl on Facebook”, if she did not go along with his demands.

The court was told it was only when her father came across a message containing sexualised content from Watson to his daughter that the true picture began to emerge.

Anthony Dunne, prosecuting, said her father “felt sick”, told his wife and they confronted their daughter, wanting to know what was going on.

Mr Dunne said she told them Watson was frightening her, blackmailing her, threatening to post explicit photos he claimed to have of her, on Facebook.

It was reported to police, and when officers spoke to her she said Watson was initially friendly and generous with her, before becoming more threatening, demanding more and more that she performed sex acts on him.

He was said to have taken a pair of her knickers and sent her a photograph of them, threatening to tell her parents she had been engaging in sexual activity, implying she had removed her underwear at a stranger’s house.

She went on to outline the abuse she suffered at his hands, but explained that she never felt able to stop his behaviour due to his persistent threats about posting photos on social media.

When Watson was arrested two pairs of knickers were found in his car and a box containing pairs of children’s knickers were recovered from his home.

He gave no replies in interview, but while on bail, pending further inquiries, he indecently assaulted an eight-year-old girl, knowing her parents were out and her older sister was in the bath.

The court heard that Watson was almost caught in the act when the rest of the girl’s family came home.

Mr Dunne said he left but was very shortly afterwards arrested and found to be in possession of a pair of ladies’ knickers taken from the washing basket in the lounge of the house.

He tried to pass the alleged activity off as a child “telling tales”, but made no further replies.

The ex-car salesman, of Auckland, Chester-le-Street, made initial denials, but at a previous hearing, when the offences on both girls were to be joined into one case, he admitted charges of rape, inciting and causing a child to engage in sexual activity, grooming, blackmail, plus sexual assault.

Rukhshanda Hussain, mitigating, said despite his prevarication Watson did finally spare the girls giving evidence at trial, no longer wanting to prolong their anguish.

Jailing him, Judge Christopher Prince said his actions have had a deeply traumatic effect on both girls, one of whom he put through “psychological torture” for his own gratification.

Watson was made subject to restrictions over future internet use and contact with young people, under an unlimited Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.