56-year-old British Sex Tourist jailed

A "dangerous and devious" sex tourist has been jailed for a "minimum" of six years after preying on deprived children in Africa. Father-of-two Alexander Kilpatrick, who regarded himself as "out of control", repeatedly used the extensive "goodwill" built up by his son's voluntary work among the poor to conceal his "predatory" behaviour. The 56-year-old also used his mobile home to tour England looking for other vulnerable youngsters.

Innocent looking Kilpatrick in Ghana

London's Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court heard he nearly always filmed himself abusing his victims.

He then transferred the footage to CD-ROMS before spending hours editing them, dubbing them with Elvis Presley tracks, and then labelling them with his victims' names.

His "obsession" with watching himself on screen eventually proved his downfall and provided a mass of evidence for police. It also helped them identify two youngsters he targeted in Britain.

One 12-year-old, whose father had just died, was groomed with emotional support, alcohol, gifts and porn. The child later had to spend several tormented weeks waiting to see if he had been infected with HIV. Although the tests fortunately came back clear, officers who interviewed the troubled youngster described him as having been "robbed of his childhood".

The hobby shop assistant's "abhorrent" reign of perversion came to an end when a French holidaymaker spotted him in Ghana - an increasingly popular "sex tourist hotspot" - handing out toys to local children.

He was deported and arrested on his return to Britain.

Cumbrian-born Kilpatrick, the first person to be jailed under new "sex tourism" legislation, pleaded guilty to 17 counts between October 1, 2004, and May 8 last year. They included three rapes, three attempted rapes, two assaults, one assault by penetration, an offence of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, another of administering a substance with intent, two charges of taking indecent photographs of children, two of possessing them, and one of importing porn.

The grey-haired paedophile, said to be relieved that he had been caught, showed no emotion as Judge Roger Chapple told him the evidence against him had been overwhelming.