A judge branded a former York sex offender an “incorrigible, predatory paedophile” as he jailed him indefinitely for abusing young boys at his flat.

Stephen Carruthers, now 49, was repeatedly jailed for a series of sex attacks on boys in York in the 1980s.

Carruthers left the city after residents mounted a petition against him and three men beat him up.

Preston Crown Court heard that he continued his crimes, teaming up with another paedophile he met in Strangeways prison, Manchester, and setting up home with him in Blackpool on their release.

Police officers were powerless under human rights rules to stop them. The paedophiles then lured boys to their flat with bribes and tales of celebrity connections, and abused them.

Judge Christopher Cornwall told the paedophiles: “The simple dreadful reality in this matter in my judgment is you are incorrigible, predatory paedophiles.

“I have no doubt you pose an extremely high and significant risk of causing very serious harm to other boys in the future, just as you have done on every single occasion you have been released from prison.

“You are both extremely dangerous. No under-age boy is safe in your company.”

Carruthers had denied three charges of engaging in sexual activity with a child, grooming and child abduction and was ordered to serve a minimum of five-and-a-half years before he can apply for parole.

The judge said he did not expect him to succeed for “a very long time”. He was barred from any unsupervised contact with children or working with them for life.