A "DEPRAVED and sickening" sex offender from Selby who preyed on two young children has today been jailed for 15 years.

Phillip Jon Haddock, 43, was sentenced at York Crown Court, after previously pleading guilty to seven sexual offences between 2012 and 2014.

Haddock, whose last known address was in Leeds but is formerly of Brayton, admitted charges of raping a teenage boy, four charges of sexually assaulting a girl aged under 13, one rape of a girl under 13 and one attempted rape of a girl aged under 13.

Detective Constable Charlotte Gregory of North Yorkshire Police’s Protecting Vulnerable Persons Unit, said: “The sentence handed down to Phillip Haddock today will be of some comfort to the two children he has violated and taken advantage of during a period of their lives when they were very vulnerable.

"Although the sentence cannot reflect the impact that his actions have had on the victims, it does mean that they can now start to look to their futures and try to come to terms with the ordeal they have endured.

"There is no doubt that Haddock presents a danger to children and would have continued to do so had it not been for the courage of his victims and their loved ones in supporting the police investigation.

"The jailing of Haddock means that society and children in general are now protected from the depraved and sickening actions of a dangerous man."

DC Gregory said she hoped the outcome would encourage victims of abuse to contact the police on 101 and report other crimes of this nature, and said anyone who came forward would be supported by the police and other agencies.

*IF you do not want to speak to police, contact Bridge House, North Yorkshire's Sexual Assault Referral Centre on 01904 669339 or at turntobridgehouse.org