ONE of Bruce McLean’s victims has spoken about how he turned to drink and drugs and spent years in and out of prison as a result of the sickening abuse he suffered as a boy.

The 62-year-old serial paedophile, from Moore, was jailed for 15 years earlier this week after he was found guilty of abusing a number of boys in care homes in the 1970s and 80s – grooming them with trips to watch Manchester United and clothes.

The care homes where the abuse took palce included Knutsford's Kilrie Children's Home and Rosebank Care Home in Lymm. 

Among the boys the ‘sexual predator’ targeted was an eight-year-old who was abused at Rosebank.

Knutsford Guardian: Bruce McLean

He has described how McLean’s disgraceful actions have impacted upon his whole life since, as well as his family’s lives.

The dad, who does not want to be named, said: “He would take us out and promise to take us to the football, which would never happen.

“He would take me to a house in the grounds where the abuse would happen, and afterwards he would threaten me by saying there were other kids who he’d buried there – to this day, I still believe that’s the case.

“It’s had a huge impact on my whole life and the lives of people around me.

“My wife and kids have suffered because of the abuse I suffered, because I’ve not been the father I wish I could have been to them.

“For so long I was self-medicating by taking drugs, and it just made things worse.

“I was in and out of prison all the time – I used to think people aren’t going to get the better of me, so I always hit first.

“Initially, I used to blame myself, that it was my fault that this happened.

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“But there is only one person to blame.”

McLean was found guilty of 13 counts of sexual abuse at Chester Crown Court in November, but a jury was unable to reach a verdict on a number of other charges.

In July, he was found guilty of another nine sexual assaults on four victims and was imprisoned on Monday.

It was only in 2012 that the boy who McLean targeted at Rosebank felt able to report the abuse to police, but his life has turned around since.

He is now working as a site manager and his abuser has been put behind bars for a lengthy period.

“If anybody has gone through what I’ve gone through, don’t suffer in silence because it eats you up,” he added.

“Come forward and speak to somebody about it.

“Just talking about it is a big weight off your shoulders –holding it in doesn’t’ help.

“It will change their life considerably.

“If they can build up the courage, report it to the police as well.

“I’ve got justice, and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t get justice too.”

McLean was previously jailed for nine years for similar offences against children, having been convicted of 10 sexual assaults on minors in 1997.

The court previously heard McLean knew players at Manchester United, including club legend goalkeeper Gary Bailey, and would take children to training sessions at The Cliff ground.

He used visits from footballers to the care homes as a gateway to abuse – showering the boys with free sportswear and trips to training before molesting them.

Sentencing, judge Patrick Thompson said: “You treated these boys as your sexual playthings – you were young and friendly and groomed these boys with trips to Manchester United and furnished them with Adidas clothing to make them compliant.

“If that didn't work you would threaten them.

“These were the actions of a sexual predator.

“I can't imagine a greater breach of trust of a person who was in a position of such responsibility – your only concern being your own sexual gratification.”