A paedophile who groomed and sexually molested young girls has been jailed for eight years.

David Hume, 56, was yesterday told by a judge he had “no moral compass whatsoever”.

Bradford Crown Court was told Hume abused four girls over a period of years while he was living in the Skipton area.

The court heard Hume, a single man, gained the trust of the children’s parents to look after and entertain them.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said victim impact statements showed the harrowing damage caused by his behaviour.

He said it was a case of a man with dark and paedophilic tendencies, who groomed families and their children, then “introduced those children to the insidious depravity that you enjoyed so much”.

Judge Durham Hall said Hume simulated sex with one victim and showed her pornographic films. Her statement was harrowing reading which “showed the true depth of your wickedness”.

Hume, now of Rillington, near York, admitted a total of 12 charges of indecent assault and indecency with a child.

The court heard the offences took place when the victims were aged between four and 11.

Prosecutor Oliver Thorne told the court one victim said she was abused every other day over a number of years.

The abuse began by playing games, called ‘mums and dads’, and tickling, but she was then shown porn magazines and Hume started to indecently assault her.

Another girl was also abused after tickling and mums and dads games.

The girls complained about the abuse and the defendant was arrested, but denied any involvement in the abuse. But police inquiries uncovered two more victims.

Mr Thorne said one of the victims had suffered marital relationship difficulties following the abuse, and another had suffered anorexia, self-harm and low self-esteem.

Timothy Jacobs, representing Hume, said there had been no other offending, before or since, and he had pleaded guilty. He said: “He accepts the allegations in their entirety. He has expressed a desire and a will to engage in prison to address his offending.”

Judge Durham Hall told the defendant he had lived with a dreadful secret.

Detective Inspector Pete Martin, of Skipton CID, said: “I would like to praise the bravery of the Hume’s victims for having the courage to come forward, ensuring that he has now had to face up to the consequences of his abuse of children.

“I hope this case shows that it is never too late for victims to report this type of crime to the police and I encourage anyone, who may be suffering in silence, to report the offences.”