A PAEDOPHILE who groomed young boys by buying them cigarettes has been jailed for three years.

Bolton Crown Court heard James McLaughlin had shown no remorse after being found guilty of sexual offences against four boys and even told probation staff that, on his release from prison, he would “seek out and deal with” those who had made allegations against him.

Michael Maher, defending, said McLaughlin’s comments were idle threats made by an aggrieved man who, since his conviction last month, has been ostracised by his family and feels his life is over.

He added McLaughlin had opportunity to carry out his threats while on bail awaiting sentence but had not done so.

McLaughlin, aged 50 of Beverley Road, Heaton, had denied sexual activity with a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old boy, sexually assaulting an 11-year-old boy and attempted sexual activity with a 15-year-old boy.

During a seven-day trial, a jury heard that when living at a house in Deane, between September, 2009, and May, 2011, schoolboys would visit McLaughlin, who was known as Rob, and he would offer to buy cigarettes.

His crimes only came to light when a 14-year-old boy told his family he had been abused.

The court heard that in 1988 McLaughlin had been convicted of sexually assaulting a boy.

At yesterday’s sentencing hearing, Mr Maher said McLaughlin suffers from depression and high blood pressure and was concerned his prison sentence would be short enough to enable him to say goodbye to his mother, who suffers from dementia.

Recorder Timothy Stead also made an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order against McLaughlin, banning him from having any boy under 16 in his home, having no contact with boys except in the presence of a responsible adult or during a legal commercial transaction and prohibiting him from contacting his victims.

He is also banned from working with children and is placed on the sex offenders register.