A LANDLORD and his lodger who systematically raped and abused four teenage boys were jailed for a minimum of ten years this morning.

Andrew George Mower, 67, and his lodger Darren Leslie Smith, 39, both of Tryfan Close, Clayhall, were branded "evil" and "wicked" by Judge David Radford at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

He sentenced them to a minimum of ten years, with a recommendation they serve 20 years for public protection.

Judge Radford described the pair as "dangerous offenders" and said they caused their victims serious psychological damage.

Addressing Mower, Judge Radford said: "Your age did not stop you quite recently in committing these offences.

"You were the instigator in these sexual offences committed."

Addressing Smith, Judge Radford said: "You are a dangerous offender. In my view if when, if ever, you will never cease to be a dangerous offender of this kind."

He commended the bravery of the teenagers involved and said: "I congratulate the courage of the victims for coming forward and giving evidence in the trial.

"That can't have been in any which way a pleasant experience."

The pair lured the four boys between the ages of 13 and 16 to the home they shared between 2006 and 2011, by expressing a common interest in railways and technology.

The boys were then subjected to sexual assault and rape.

Mower was convicted of 10 counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, an attempted rape and three rapes on June 7.

On the same day, Smith was convicted of 13 counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, 12 counts of rape and two counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child.

He was also found guilty of several representative counts of possession of indecent images.

Mower has a history of committing sexual offences against children and was jailed for five years in 1971 and again in 1989 for three years.

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