A man, who was one of the victims of “monster” self-styled preacher rapist Brian Jackson, has urged male victims of rape and sexual assault to report the crimes to police.

The man, who is trying to rebuild his life after years of hell, said he had been given hope for the future by the way police officers had handled his case.

And he told how he had had a good night’s sleep for the first time in 14 years after sexual predator Jackson was jailed for a minimum of almost 13 years for a catalogue of sex offences spanning three decades.

Bulge-eyed Jackson, 50, of Hall Lane, Windhill, Shipley, was convicted of raping three women, indecently assaulting another, causing actual bodily harm, causing grievous bodily harm and attempting to rape and sexually assaulting the man.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Rapist Brian Jackson

Rapist Brian Jackson

The man, a former amateur footballer who is now in his early-40s, said the incident had been life-changing for him, but for the first time he now felt safe.

He told how he lost his girlfriend, his friends, his football and his confidence, and had hardly left the house in the 14 years since the attack on him. But he now felt able to walk his dog and go to a cafe for breakfast.

The man said: “I was so traumatised afterwards I ran home to my mother’s house. Jackson took my honesty and trust that day. He took my soul. I didn’t want to live any more.”

The victim turned to drugs to cope with his ordeal and became a heroin addict. He even tried to commit suicide on several occasions.

Speaking exclusively to the Telegraph & Argus, he said: “Jackson is a monster. What he did to me was horrific. I was so frightened. He was a big, powerful man and very strong. I was fighting for my life with him.

“I will never recover from what Jackson did to me, but I can live with it now. The wonderful policewoman who listened to me and supported me has given me my life back.”

The man said that when he reported the offence at the time it happened, he found it difficult to tell police, who were not properly trained to deal with male sex assault victims.

But that had changed when the case was re-opened last year.

He said: “The police have been wonderful and so professional. I would urge any man who has been the victim of a sexual assault not to suffer in silence. You don’t have to. There are people who will listen to you and not let monsters like Jackson get away with it.

“Jackson deserves to die in prison. It has taken me 14 years to get justice, but it doesn’t have to take that long for anybody else any more.”

Any male victims of sexual assault should ring West Yorkshire Police on the non-emergency 101 number and ask for the Bradford District Safeguarding Unit.