A PREDATORY ‘deviant’ who carried out his fantasy by having a sexual encounter with a teenage boy was today (FRI MAY 3) jailed for six years.

Paul Thompson, 54, was in regular contact with the 14-year-old on the internet before arranging the liaison during a half-hour gap when the boy’s father was away from home.

Thompson went to the address and indulged in sexual activity with the teenager, who he called his “little slut boy”.

Durham Crown Court heard he later boasted about the encounter to other paedophiles on internet file sharing sites.

His activities came to light, however, when Durham Police received information from the West Midlands force over his use of a file-sharing network visited by people swapping child pornography.

John Gillette, prosecuting, said police seized computer equipment, some of which was locked in a safe, when they visited his home in Stanley, County Durham, on September 11 last year.

“He told police he knew what he was doing was wrong, illegal and immoral.

“He said he’d deleted the relevant software three or four times, but then re-instated it and carried on doing it.”

Computer analysis revealed Thompson was in regular contact with like-minded individuals, each prefixing their name ‘paedo’.

The exchanges with the 14-year-old boy revealed he frequently suggested they should meet, before the actual rendezvous took place in March last year.

Thompson, of Broom Hill, Stanley, admitted 16 counts of making and nine of distributing indecent images of children, plus one charge of possession of 4,931 such images.

He also admitted inciting a boy to engage in sexual activity and engaging in sexual activity with a boy.

Andrew Finlay, mitigating, said Thompson, a factory worker, was of previous good character.

He turned to drink and searching the internet since separating from his wife in recent years, during which time he has suffered depression.

“His loneliness, his change of life after many years, plus his use of alcohol must have allowed a dormant predisposition to rise to the surface,” added Mr Finlay.

Jailing him Recorder Neil Davey told Thompson: “You’ve admitted a catalogue of sexual offences which reveal a disturbing attitude to children in general and boys in particular.

“You’re attracted sexually to children, showing a high level of deviancy, sexual preoccupation and predatory behaviour.”

Thompson must register as a sex offender and will be subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, both for life.