A PAEDOPHILE who sexually assaulted an 11-year-old boy has been caged indefinitely after a judge branded him too dangerous to be released.

Judge Roger Dutton sentenced Scott Worrall, who was living at Leonard Street, off Battersby Lane, at the time of the offence, to imprisonment for public protection for grooming and attacking the schoolboy, who cannot be named.

Worrall will serve four years behind bars before parole is considered but may never be freed if he is considered a danger to society.

While pleading guilty to the offence, Worrall denied what he was doing was wrong.

At Warrington Crown Court on Tuesday, Judge Dutton said: "It is clear you have an unhealthy sexual attitude towards young people.

"That allowed you to take your clothes off and get on top of him to simulate a sexual act.

"There is a significant risk of danger to categories of young people who you may find sexually attractive.

"What damaging effect this will have on him, the child, is unknown."

The 27-year-old admitted he had plied the child with whisky and took him to bed asleep, before removing his shorts and sexually assaulting him.

Prosecuting, John Hedgecoe said: "The boy was too scared to tell Worrall to get off because he though the defendant would hurt him."

The ordeal came to light when the child revealed the assault during an argument with his mother - she had never met her son's predator.

The court heard Worrall befriended the boy in a street two months prior to the incident, supplying him with cider, cigarettes and money, luring him back to his home on numerous occasions.

The youngster was also shown gay pornography.

DC Gordon Wilson told the Warrington Guardian: "Scott Worrall is a predatory paedophile.

"As the sentence reflects, he is and continues to be a danger to young children.

"It is thanks to the bravery of a young boy that this man is off the streets of Warrington and unable to hurt others.

"His sentence reflects the seriousness of his crime."

After Worrall appeared in court and pleaded guilty to the sexual assault, police raided his home and discovered almost 300 sickening photos and videos of children on the pervert's computer.

As a result, he was re-arrested and charged with 18 counts of downloading child pornography, which he later admitted.

Defending Worrall, Michael Davies told the court: "Only once did he abuse him. Whatever temptations he gave into, he only did so on one occasion - it was an isolated act."

The paedophile was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and banned from working with children.