A FORMER school caretaker was behind bars last night for a string of sickening child sex offences, as his victims' parents told of their relief that he had been caught before his crimes became even more serious.

Adrian Peter Ryal - described as a dangerous fantasist by people who know him - was criticised by a judge for "showing no remorse whatsoever".

The 43-year-old former soldier filmed himself sneaking into the room of a teenager and pulling down her bra to expose her breast as she slept.

In a defence labelled as "ridiculous" by a judge, he claimed the person in the mobile phone footage was his wife Gayle - and she supported his story.

But distinctive marks on the girl's skin proved the account was a lie and Ryal was convicted of sexual assault and making an indecent image of a child.

The sordid film came to light after two other youngsters complained that Ryal had intimately touched them and sent them inappropriate text messages.

Ryal was found guilty of abusing all three girls after a retrial at Teesside Crown Court last month, and returned yesterday to be sentenced.

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Peter Ryal after being found guilty last month

His barrister, David Comb, argued for a suspended jail sentence, but he was locked up for 18 months and put on the sex offenders' register for ten years.

Judge Sean Morris told him: "The effects on the girls has been horrendous. People should not belittle the devastating effect even the most minor sexual assault can have.

"What also is devastating and sometimes can be more so is not being believed and having to go through the trial process. For these girls, that was traumatic."

Last night, the parents of the victims spoke of their fears of what kind of crimes Ryal would have gone on to commit had he not been caught in 2012.

One said: "There was obvious grooming that we were unaware of, and a clear escalation in his offending. God only knows where he would have stopped."

Another added: "I checked his social media and he had an abundance - approximately 200 - friends on Facebook who were girls aged between 13 and 19. I ask myself the question, 'why is this?'"

The judge told Ryal: "You sent the most inappropriate text messages to these girls, and I am satisfied you were seeing where the land lay as far as you becoming slightly over-familiar with them bit by bit.

"The defence you ran at court caused them upset and was, frankly, ridiculous."

The court heard how Ryal, from Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, had been medically discharged from the army, and then became a primary school caretaker.

His barrister Mr Comb said he had been a juvenile delinquent and had been brought up in a violent household where he was horse-whipped by his step-mother.

Mr Comb said he "found salvation, identity, a high level of self-esteem and hard fairness in the way he was treated" when he was in the services.

As a result of the court case and last month's conviction, Ryal was dismissed by school bosses, and his wife lost her job in a hospital operating theatre.

Mother-of-one Mrs Ryal - still standing by her disgraced husband - was blasted by one of the victims, who said: "I still can't believe she lied for him."

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Gayle Ryal outside court at a previous hearing

The teenager added: "It is impossible to understand how she could stand there in the witness box and say it was her in the film when she knew it was me.

"I had no idea what was happening to me when I was asleep. I was absolutely devastated when I was shown it. How many times had he done it before?

"I don't think he realises how bad I feel about myself now. They told everyone I was a liar and said the person in the video was Gayle. He is not even sorry."

Ryal said the short clip, which was even saved under the girl's name on his phone - in which he can be heard heavy-breathing - was a role-playing sex game with his wife.

In an interview with a probation officer after his conviction, he still maintained he was innocent, and is, therefore, not suitable for sex offender treatment.

The father of one victim said after the case that the pervert lied to locals about being in the SAS, and never had any adult male friends.

The sleeping victim added: "I have never felt so betrayed and hurt by people as I have with them. I just don't want him to be able to do this again with anyone else."

Her mother told The Northern Echo outside court: "She keeps thinking 'how many times has he touched me? How many times led up to him making that video?"

Another victim said: "What Pete did to me has affected my whole life - both at the time and ongoing ever since. I get flashbacks when I'm reminded of him.

"This has been nearly four years of my life, and everything seems to be getting worse. Whenever I feel like I've got away from it, something pulls me right back."

Her father said: "He told me he went from being an infantryman to seeing active duty with the special services, the SAS, but because of injuries sustained, he reverted to the normal army and served out the duration of his time until a medical discharge.

"I'm aware that he has also told others that he was a member of the SAS, and claimed to me he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, flashbacks and battle fatigue."