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A paedophile who abused two children as young as five has been jailed for 25 years.

Thomas Reay, 66 and from Fenham in Newcastle, admitted 16 child sex offences, including raping one child and attempting to rape another.

His victims said he had ruined their lives, Newcastle Crown Court heard, while a judge said Reay had hoped to keep his "evil secret safe".

The court heard Reay, who has cancer, was "resigned to dying in prison".

The court heard Reay's offending came to light in May this year with the paedophile telling police he did not deny the allegations, but would make no further comment.

In a statement read to the court, his first victim said they had almost killed themselves because of his abuse, adding Reay made them feel "worthless and dirty".

They said: "He has wrecked my life."

'Terrible crimes'

The second victim said he made them feel "scared, alone and fearful" and unable to feel emotion for other people.

"Thomas Reay has ruined my life and what happened will always impact on my future," they said. "The abuse lives me with every day and has taken over my life."

Both also said they suffered repeated nightmares about the abuse.

Prosecutor Michael Bunch said Reay, of Hesleyside Drive, had 22 convictions for 148 offences dating back to the 1980s, the vast majority being for theft and other dishonest crimes.

In mitigation, Lee Fish said Reay struggled to understand his actions but accepted he had to "answer for these terrible crimes".

He said Reay was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and the disease had now spread to his brain, meaning he did not expect to live long.

"He has resigned himself to dying in prison," Mr Fish said. "He doesn't expect to live long enough to ever taste freedom again, that is his fault."

'Evil secret'

Recorder Nicholas Lumley KC opened the hearing at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday with Reay appearing via videolink from HMP Durham.

He jailed him at Durham Crown Court on Tuesday, after saying he wanted the paedophile to attend in person.

The judge said Reay had "ruined" his victims' lives forever with "unspeakable cruelty".

In relation to the first child, Judge Lumley said Reay told them to "shut up" when they screamed as he raped them.

"You chose to put your twisted sexual needs above [their] innocence and physical and mental wellbeing," the judge told him.

He said Reay was "brutal" in ensuring he got his way and "took [their] childhood".

The second victim was also in great pain as Reay did his "level best" to rape them, the judge said.

The judge praised the victims for their bravery in reporting Reay, adding the paedophile had hoped to keep his "evil secret safe" and his only regret was in having been caught.

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