A Dudley man, who played a leading role in a theatrical company, carried out a string of sickening sex attacks on two young boys.
51-year-old Ian Jones took advantage of his vulnerable victims' interest in the theatre to abuse them sexually, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told. They were groomed and them emotionally threatened by Ian Jones who told them he would inform their parents or have thrown out of the company.
The one victim later told police after Jones' arrest the sex attacks had left him feeling scared for the future and he felt he had been "caught in a twisted web."
He told officers he felt alone and confused adding: "Sometimes everything got too much for me. I felt worthless. I did not want to be labelled as damaged goods."
The second victim said he had also been badly affected mentally by Jones' offending after he "allowed himself to be manipulated." He said he now struggled to trust anyone adding; "He made me this way and I hate him."
Jones, of Central Drive, Lower Gornal, admitted charges involving engaging in sexual activity with a child and causing or inciting the two victims to become involved in child pornography.
He further pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child. He was jailed for eight years and ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Judge Simon Ward told him the company was aimed at helping young people into the world of theatre and he had badly breached the trust of his victims. The judge said:
"You took advantage of the fact that you were older and that in your role these boys looked up to you. You abused these boys sexually and that was a particularly unpleasant thing to do. You wanted sex and you got it."
Jones he went on, had abused his position by threatening the boys and they had clearly suffered a great deal emotionally.
When he was first charged he had denied any offending which prolonged the suffering of the boys, said the judge, before finally and sensibly admitting his guilt.
Simon Rippon, for Jones, who was also made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Protection Order said his client had spared the boys the trauma of having to give evidence in a trial.
Mr Rippon said: "He is remorseful and he regrets his behaviour, he understands behaviour like this is unacceptable and he knows he has lessons to learn."
Julian Taylor, prosecuting, said Jones was arrested after the one victim told police what had been going on and he was then dismissed from the theatre company.
