A “VILE paedophile who destroyed his victim’s life” after preying on him as a teenage boy is behind bars.

Michael Beddis, 55, formerly of Pontypool, would ply his victim with alcohol before sexually abusing him during the 1990s.

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Marian Lewis, prosecuting, told how the defendant had groomed the boy.

She added that Beddis had also carried out another later sex attack on the teenager when the complainant was aged 18.

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Miss Lewis read out a moving impact statement written by the victim which said of the defendant: “His actions have changed me as a person.

“I will never be able to forgive or forget what he did.

“He has stolen my childhood. He is a vile man who preyed on me. He is very clever and he manipulated me.

“I suffered pain and humiliation after what Michael Beddis did to me all those years ago.”

The defendant pleaded guilty to the historical offences on the day of his trial.

Beddis, of Daisy Street, Canton, Cardiff, admitted three counts of indecent assault committed between 1993 and 1999.

Two of the attacks took place when the victim was aged between 14 and 15.

Miss Lewis told the court Beddis was jailed for three years in 2003 for indecent assault and gross indecency with a child.

Julia Cox, mitigating, said although her client’s guilty pleas were entered late in the day, they had spared the victim the “trauma” of giving evidence in court.

The judge, Recorder Paul Lewis QC, told Beddis: “You tried to ensure your victim’s silence and you told him it was a secret between you.

“The psychological impact on your victim has been grave indeed.

“He said he was too frightened to tell anyone.

“There was grooming by you. You gave him drink in order to perpetrate your abuse.”

Beddis was jailed for six years.

He had already had to register as a sex offender for life following his 2003 conviction.

Outside the court, an NSPCC spokesperson said: “Beddis must have thought he’d gotten away with abusing a teenage boy all those years ago, but he must now face the consequences of his actions.

“Child abuse has a devastating and traumatic impact that can last a lifetime and we would urge anyone who has been sexually abused to speak out and seek support.

“No matter how long ago the crimes took place, survivors of abuse will be listened to and this case shows that justice can be served to child sex offenders like Beddis.”

Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk.

Adults with concerns about the welfare of a child can contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk.