A vile paedophile's abuse was so bad that he was jailed for longer than most murderers.
Oliver Roughley, 24, of Bailey Way in St Helens, subjected his seven-year-old victim to a "campaign of rape" over the course of three years, leading to the youngster attempting suicide. The "predator" was jailed for 21 years on Wednesday, but continues to maintain his innocence.
Liverpool Crown Court heard Roughley carried out the abuse over a three-year period when he was in his late teens. He groomed the boy by buying him presents including toy cars and teddy bears.
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He also used violence to ensure his silence, including by twisting his arm behind his back. The pervert kept a pair of the child's underwear in his bedroom and messaged him telling him that he loved him.
Roughley first assaulted the boy when he was aged seven by touching his penis. He then "told him not to tell anyone or he would go to jail and never see him again".
His abuse escalated to raping the youngster in the cubicles of a swimming baths in South Liverpool and Splash World in Southport. He told the boy he would leave him stranded at these locations if he did not yield to his perverted desires.
Roughley also performed sex acts on him and gave him love bites, with the abuse continuing until he was aged nine. Police later discovered 32 pictures of the boy naked in the defendant's bedroom - some of which also showed the sex offender - on his phone.
Additional indecent images of other children were found on his computer. But Roughley still denies having committed the vile offences.
Many of the details heard are so horrific that the ECHO has chosen not to publish them. One member of court staff present during the hearing appeared to be visibly shaken as a result.
A statement read out on behalf of the boy's mum highlighted the "massive impact" Roughley's crime have had. She said her son had "become a sad and angry boy" who had tried to take his own life "on more than one occasion".
The youngster also cannot be hugged by family members as he "doesn't want to be touched". The statement added: "It has ruined him mentally and turned his life upside down.
"I don't know if he will ever recover. My son has been given a life sentence."
Meanwhile, a statement penned by his grandma said: "How dare you subject our grandson to such pain and hurt for your perverted needs? You took his innocence and childhood. You have shown no remorse for your actions and seem to think you have done nothing wrong."
David Watson, defending, told the court: "What can be advanced on his behalf is very limited. The defendant has no previous convictions to factor in, nor any behaviour outside of these offences.
"I draw the court's attention to the age of the defendant and his maturity, or lack thereof. It is inevitable there will be a very significant custodial sentence."
Roughley was found unanimously guilty by a jury of four counts of rape, six of sexual assault, one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three of producing indecent images, three of making indecent images and one of possession of indecent images after a trial in June. He appeared to be shaking his head at points during his sentencing but hung his head, closed his eyes and cried as he learned his fate.
Sentencing, Judge David Swinnerton said: "You were sexually attracted to him and had a sexual interest in young boys, as is clear from the images of other children you had on your computer. You both groomed and coerced him and bought him things so he didn't tell.
"You have not only damaged him badly, but his whole family. You have shown no remorse and continue to deny any wrongdoing whatsoever.
"You deny any sexual interest in children. That is plainly a lie.
"For a period of three years you manipulated him with gifts or threats and sexually abused him throughout. This was predatory, planned persistent sexual abuse of a young child.
"You acted as a predatory paedophile when the opportunity was presented to you. There is a clear and significant risk of you committing further offences which would inevitably cause serious harm, as has happened here.
"I regard this as a campaign of rape. There was significant planning and extensive grooming behaviour."
Roughley was handed an extended licence period of five years and a sexual harm prevention order and notification requirement to run indefinitely. He will serve at least two thirds of his sentence before being eligible for release.
Judge Swinnerton also imposed a lifelong restraining order banning him from contacting the boy or his parents and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the seized electronic devices.
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