A child molester who sexually abused two schoolboys has been jailed for eight years.

Craig Tillotson, 48, targeted the frightened victims in the mid 1980s, striking in old kilns known as The Fairy Caves, near the canal in Church.

He lured one victim there with the promise of being able to fire his air rifle and bought the boy gifts so he could repeatedly subject him to obscene acts, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Tillotson had already been locked up for four-and-a-half years for three charges of indecent assault against a boy.

Tillotson was said by probation officers to show no remorse although he had co-operated with his licence.

The defendant, of Accrington Road, Blackburn, admitted one serious sexual offence, one attempted serious sexual offence, five counts of indecent assault and one of indecency with a child.

He was put on the Sex Offenders  Register for life and given a lifetime Sexual Offences Prevention Order, banning him from having any unsupervised contact with children under 16 and from allowing any child under 16 into his home, unless they are accompanied by an approved adult over 21.

Sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt told Tillotson: “I am satisfied it is necessary to make a Sexual Offences Prevention Order in order to prevent you causing serious sexual harm to other children.”

Rob Kearney, prosecuting, said the abuse against the first boy started in the early 1980s.

Tillotson came up behind him, put his arm around his neck and tried to commit a sex act.

A couple of days later, the defendant forced the boy to commit an indecent act.

The second victim came forward in 2009, when he saw the defendant talking to two boys, and was concerned he would do the same to them and went to the police.

Mr Kearney said the second boy’s ordeal also started in the early 1980s. Tillotson told him he went to the caves to use his air rifle and asked the victim if he wanted to go.

A year later the boy bumped into the defendant, Tillotson said he would show the victim inside one of the caves.

He then put his arm around him and sexually assaulted him.

More abuse followed over about 10 weeks.

The defendant was arrested twice, questioned, denied the allegations and claimed nothing had ever happened.

Elizabeth Nicholls, for Tillotson, said since the offences, he had served his first custodial term. It was right he had not spoken about the offences to the probation service and that caused concern.

The defendant, who was on benefits, suffered ill health.

The barrister added: “Since his release on licence, he has not repeated this sort of conduct.”