A man who raped a boy on several occasions at the 54-year-old's Congleton home has been jailed.

Gary Street, of Mill Street, pleaded guilty to eight counts of raping a boy under the age of 13.

The offences occurred over a number of years and ended when Mr Street moved out of the Congleton area in October 2011.

Mr Street befriended his victim and encouraged the boy to visit him at his home.

The paedophile then made threats against him and members of his family to ensure that he continued to visit Mr Street's home after the abuse had begun.

Mr Street was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Friday 13 March for the non-recent sexual offences.

He was jailed for 12 years and nine months and given an extra year on licence.

Mr Street was also ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for life and handed a lifelong restraining order banning him from contacting the victim in any way, either directly or indirectly.

The court also imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order on Mr Street.

Detective Constable Amy-Jayne Evans, who led the investigation into Street's offending, said: "The victim was at primary school when the abuse began.

"Gary Street befriended him before subjecting him to years of sexual abuse.

"He manipulated and threatened the victim to ensure that he could carry on raping and abusing him.

"Horrific offences such as these affect people in the most profound way and I would like to thank the victim for the immense courage he has shown in coming forward to report the sexual abuse he was subjected to during his childhood.

"Whilst he will never be able to forget about what happened to him, I hope that the significant custodial sentence Mr Street has been handed by the courts provides the victim with some closure and enables him to begin to move forward with his life.

"I also hope this case and the sentence that Mr Street has received encourages other victims of sexual offences to come forward and report them to us.

"Cheshire Constabulary takes any allegation of sexual offences extremely seriously, no matter how long ago they relate to.

"Any allegation will be thoroughly investigated, with the wishes and needs of the victim as our main priority.

"Victims should never feel ashamed to talk about what they have been subjected to.

"They will receive the help and support they need from our specialist officers, as well as from other support agencies we work alongside, and all victims of sexual offences have the right to anonymity."

To report any sexual offence call Cheshire Constabulary on 101.

Information can also be passed anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.