A perverted pensioner who abused young boys and asked them to call him "Grandad" has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years.

Donald Down, 76, was one of two men who befriended and "sexually exploited" the youngsters.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Down "groomed or coerced" his victims after plying them with alcohol and cigarettes at his home in Winchester Crescent, Gravesend.

One of the boys actually phoned police from a call box to report what had happened to him.

However, Down - who was previously convicted more than 50 years ago for child sex abuse - was not arrested until six days later and in that time the former airman and his accomplice, 20-year-old Michael Stone, went on to molest other boys.

When Down was arrested on January 3 this year, he had a handwritten list of children's names in his pocket. He said they were youngsters he was "having trouble with".

However, he later claimed it was not his hand-writing and denied he had abused any children.

Down also accused Stone, of Valley Drive, Gravesend, of "stitching him up".

Down had been due to stand trial on July 1, but pleaded guilty to four offences of sexual activity with a child and one of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity before it got under way.

Jailing Down, Judge Michael Carroll said he had committed a "catalogue" of serious sexual offences against young, "vulnerable" boys who were "encouraged" through alcohol and cigarettes to visit his home.

He was ordered to serve consecutive sentences of two years, three years and three-and-a-half years.

Down was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders' register and made subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, both indefinitely.

Prosecutor Anthony Prosser said Down both molested the boys and made suggestive comments about what he wanted to do to them.

One told police he was given beer and rum and thought he had to drink it because Down "was older" than him. He added that he was scared.

Another said Down "wanted to be known as Grandad" and had put on a pornographic film for the boys to watch.

A third boy claimed Down had peformed a sex act on him while he was being held in a "half-nelson", allegedly by Stone.

The court heard Down, who has no living relatives, was given two years' probation in 1957 for indecent assault on a boy under 10.

He was doing National Service in the Air Force at the time.

Christopher Sutton Mattocks, defending, said Down's council home had been repossessed and he faced an "uncertain future" once released from prison.

"It was a late decision (to plead guilty) but nonetheless a realistic one and perhaps somewhat courageous for a man of his age who faces a term of imprisonment for the first time in his life," he added.

Stone was not fit to stand trial due to mental health issues, the court heard. Therefore, a jury had to simply determine whether he "did the acts" alleged against him.

They found he was responsible for one offence of sexual assault and one of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The jury decided he had not held one boy while Down abused him.

Stone is expected to be made subject to a hospital order when he returns to the crown court later this week.