Pervert spotted by victim working in Black Country Barnardo's shop 23 years after child abuse

He later told police: "I could not believe he was working for a children's charity. It brought back memories of what he had done to me."

Perverted Patrick Skerritt, now 62, was acting as a volunteer at the shop in West Bromwich but had no direct contact with children.

A quarter of a century earlier he had repeatedly indecently assaulted the victim who was aged 12 at the time, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

"He bought him presents, showered him with the gifts, took him on trips and tried to isolate the child," said Mr Timothy Harrington, prosecuting.

Skerritt indecently struck on three separate occasions during 1991 and 1992 – one of which involved the defendant taking advantage of the boy's gratitude after a trip to Alton Towers had been organised as a treat.

Mr Harrington explained: "The boy jumped up to hug the man by way of thanking him and the defendant responded by grabbing the genitals of the child who made it clear that he did not like this."

The rebuff did not discourage Skerritt who interfered with the lad again soon afterwards while they were playing pool. Then the child was abused as he slept.

Mr Harrington said: "He kept this dark secret to himself for many years. He suffered from depression, anxiety and panic attacks before finally deciding to disclose what had happened to the police after seeing the defendant working in the Barnardo's shop in West Bromwich in 2014."

What the victim did not know was that unmarried Skerritt had been convicted of possessing of 12,000 indecent images of children, 35 of which were classed as being in the worst category of child pornography.

Mr Rashid Mohammed, defending, conceded: "The assaults were very unpleasant offences but each was of a short duration. However there was a degree of suffering as a result of the defendant's behaviour.

"He was doing voluntary work at Barnardo's that had been provided to him by the Job Centre to try to get him into the work environment but does not work there any more."

Skerritt who lives in a hostel in Hagley Road, Edgbaston was jailed for two years and four months after admitting three indecent assaults and put on the Sex Offender Register for 10 years.

Judge James Burbidge QC told him: "Your past has finally caught up with you today thanks to the courage of the person you abused.Despite only being 12 he could see your ruse but was unable to rebuff you because you were an adult and he was a child.

"He kept this to himself, despite it causing significant psychological disturbance, until he saw you working at Barnardo's. I do not suggest that the shop should be criticised in any way but he was concerned about you, as well he might, because you had more recently been found in possession of indecent images of children."