Jailed paedophile to remain in prison after admitting to further sex attacks against three victims

Brian Daniels was near the end of an 18-year sentence for sex offences on four young girls, including child rape, when officers interviewed him in jail about new allegations.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 72-year-old former bus driver told police officers he didn't want to hear what the three further victims had claimed as "it would upset him".

Prosecutor Tom Mitchell told the court: "He did, however, say he expected to die in jail.

"He said he wanted to give up.

"He said 'I did something against kids and I was punished. I don't deserve to live.

"My final punishment will be death'."

Daniels, who was formerly known as Hildreth and is of no fixed address, had been due to be released from prison on licence in May but has now admitted 11 indecent assault charges against the three further victims.

The court heard the historic offences took place in Sunderland and Newcastle several decades ago.

Mr Mitchell told the court about one victim Daniels attacked in Sunderland.

He said: "She told him to stop. He said it was alright, you will like it.

"She froze."

The court heard the victim felt her life was like "living a nightmare" as a result of the ordeal and endured "mental torture" for years.

She said in a victim statement: "It had a massive impact on how I view the world."

Another victim branded Daniels a "dirty old man" and said he caused "destruction" in her life.

The court heard Daniels targeted a girl in Newcastle when she was just five and subjected her to sickening abuse.

Mr Mitchell said: "He told her to keep the abuse a secret, told her not to tell her mother and said she would be in trouble if she did."

The victim, now an adult, said the abuse had a devastating impact on her life and and suffers regular night terrors as a result of what he did to her.

She said in a victim statement read out in court: "I am always being chased by him in these dreams. I wake shaking and covered in sweat. I get these on at least a monthly basis."

Judge Robert Spragg has today sentenced Daniels to six years and nine months behind bars. He has also ordered Daniels to have a lifelong sexual harm prevention order and sex offender registration.

The judge told him: "You were, certainly at the time of these offences and the other offending, a significant risk of serious harm to young girls."

The court heard Daniels, who sat with his head bowed throughout the hearing, has serious health problems and has been undergoing hospital treatment in custody.

David Comb, defending, told the court in mitigation: "He's a shell of a man at this time.

"He is undergoing palliative care on the healthcare wing at Durham prison.

"He will, in reality, spend the balance of his life in jail."

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