A PAEDOPHILE continued to protest his innocence as he was led away to start a 13-year prison sentence for what a judge called "a sustained campaign of abuse".

Lee Moody reacted angrily to a jury's decision that he had raped and sexually assaulted a schoolchild - slamming his chair and shaking his head after the verdicts.

The balding and bespectacled 38-year-old was yesterday found guilty of a series of sickening attacks on the youngster following a trial at Teesside Crown Court.

Some jurors wept after the verdicts were delivered at the end of what trial judge, Recorder Bernard Gateshill, QC, described as "a troubling and upsetting case".

He told the panel of eight women and four men: "You have found him guilty of all of these offences on the compelling evidence given to you.

"It's quite clear from the demeanour of this defendant that he will continue to deny these offences, perhaps for the rest of his days. Thank you very much for your efforts."

Moody, of Roseberry Road, Redcar, was convicted of two charges of rape, two of assault by penetration and three of sexual assault after a trial lasting five days.

Ordering him to also sign on the sex offenders' register for life, Mr Recorder Gateshill told him: "No useful purpose will be served by adjourning your case for reports."

Moody continually interrupted the judge as he passed sentence, saying "no I didn't" when he was told that he had systematically abused the child over many years.

When the judge said he must have thought the child would not report the matter or would not be believed, Moody defiantly interjected: "There was nothing to report."

Deborah Sherwin, defending, said there was no suggestion he threatened the child to stop them revealing the abuse, but accepted there was "intimidation and coercion".

The court heard how police were informed after the child told friends at school what had been happening and they passed on the information to teachers.