A TEENAGER has been jailed for three-and-a-half years for waging a campaign of sexual abuse against a boy.

Wyatt Savidge, aged 18, attacked the victim in secret over the course of seven years until the offences came to light in November.

Savidge appeared via video link at Bolton Crown Court yesterday after earlier changing his pleas to guilty.

He admitted 11 counts of sexual assault on a child under the age of 13, two of sexual assault and one of rape of a child under the age of 13.

Prosecutor Robert Smith said of the victim: "The defendant has been abusing him from the age of seven.

"The defendant would often ask the complainant to perform oral sex and the complainant would always refuse.

"The complainant feels a shame about what has happened and told the defendant he was 'not gay'."

In an impact statement read to the court, the victim said: "What he has done has really affected my behaviour.

"I get very angry and argue a lot before walking away.

"I can't deal with people telling me what to do. It's affected my education and my future. I think he needs help to stop him doing this to someone else."

Jane Dagnall, defending Savidge, said the defendant was a boy himself when the offences were committed and was just 13 or 14 when the most serious abuse took place.

She said there was "a chaotic mix of emotions in Wyatt Savidge's mind at the time" and for a period he had a "confused sexuality".

Ms Dagnall added: "His experimentation resulted unfortunately, and criminally, in the assaults on the complainant."

The defendant is vulnerable and was attacked by an inmate in prison in April, leading to a black eye, the court was told.

He was jailed for 42 months by Judge Graeme Smith and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years and will have to sign the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

Ten further counts of rape of a child under the age of 13 were ordered to lie on file.