When his victim summoned the courage to come forward and give evidence against Christopher Pearson, the 34-year-old set up fake accounts on Facebook to post the false claims about his vulnerable victim, including his home address.

Last week at Teesside Crown Court, Pearson was jailed for 12 years and five months after finally pleading guilty to subjecting the teenage boy to a catalogue of sexual offences which had lasted more than a year.

Judge Jonathan Carroll said Pearson had tried to frighten his victim off by posting lies on social media.

He said: “We know how just how abhorrent the public find this crime.

You put his name out there in a way that put him at considerable risk, not just him, but his family who live who lived in the house.

That was just wicked as well as wrong and untruthful”.

Pearson, of Darlington, pleaded guilty to sexual assault, sexual activity without consent, sexual activity with a child, witness intimidation and failing to comply with sexual offences notification orders.

Pearson was described as a highly dangerous individual who has selected and picked on the most vulnerable victims in society and abused their trust.

He could have pleaded guilty before putting the victim through having been crossed examined but didn’t, which show his attempt to be in control and manipulative

Pearson also was put on the sex offenders register for life and was made subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.