THE mother of a victim of Newport paedophile Nigel Barnes says she is "absolutely elated" he lost an appeal against his seven-year jail sentence.

Barnes, 60, also failed in an attempt to overturn a ban from returning to live at Maesglas Avenue on his release because it is so close to a school.

The mum of the ten-year-old boy whom Barnes forced to watch others being abused said the paedophile would have been in serious danger if he went back to live there, as everyone knew what he had done.

We reported yesterday how one of Britain's top judges branded Barnes a "sex predator" as she threw out his appeal against sentence.

Mrs Justice Hallett and her London Appeal Court colleagues said Barnes deserved every day of his jail term for abducting three boys aged ten and under, and indecently assaulting one of them.

The mother, who cannot be named to protect son's identity, said: "The first I knew about the appeal was when I saw it in the Argus. It was a bit of a shock and I can't believe he had the cheek to do it."

In an exclusive interview with the Argus last December, her son said he was taking three or four baths a day to wash away the memories of abuse he had been forced to watch.

He said at the time: "I just hate him. He's changed me...I feel dirty. "I cannot get it out of my head. I want to forget it, but I can still remember every single detail."

But his mother said yesterday he is now getting over the ordeal: "He's fine now and he never mentions it."

Dismissing Barnes' appeal, Mrs Justice Hallett said: "He is a sex predator from whom young children need to be protected for as long as possible and commensurate with the seriousness of the offences." The judges also refused to overturn the order banning him from living within 250 yards of a school or children's play area, despite arguments from his barrister Sarah Ward that his behaviour could be controlled by other means. Barnes pleaded guilty at Cardiff crown court last December to three counts of child abduction and one of indecent assault against a boy.

He was jailed and ordered to go on the sex offenders' register for ten years. He was disqualified from working with children as well as having the restraining order made against him.

Mrs Justice Hallett said Barnes had plied the boys with sweets and chocolates before taking videos of them pornographic films and indecently assaulted an eight-year-old.