A CONVICTED child rapist who asked young girls to have sex with him not long after being released from prison is back behind bars after being sentenced to nearly 15 years.

James Jones, also known as James Borrelli, served 13 years for the horrific rape of a 12-year-old schoolgirl in a public toilet after gagging her.

The defendant, of Victoria Road, Fleur-de-Lys, near Blackwood, was 20 when he attacked his young victim in Risca in 2003.

Prosecutor Clare Wilks told Cardiff Crown Court he was released from custody in November 2017 for that crime before committing his latest offences at the end of last year.

Jones, aged 35, formerly of Cwmbran, pleaded guilty to two counts of inciting girls under 13 to engage in sexual activity, inciting a girl of 13 to engage in sexual activity and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

Miss Wilks said the defendant had first approached two girls aged 11 and 13 in the Blackwood area on November 18, 2018.

She told the court Jones had asked them: “Do you want to have sex with me for a couple of hours?”

Later that day, Miss Wilks added, he approached a separate group of girls, also in the Blackwood area, and said to a 12-year-old: “I fancy you. I have a crush on you and want to make love to you. I want to take you back to my bedroom.”

Police were called and officers entered his home that night using a drill on the lock after he refused to open the door.

Jones was taken to Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital after it was discovered he had taken a suspected overdose.

Miss Wilks read victim impact statements to the court in which the mother of one of his victims said “this has had a massive impact on our family”.

Hashim Salmman, representing the defendant, said the best mitigation he could put forward for his client was that he had pleaded guilty to his offences at the very first opportunity.

He added that Jones had not used threats or violence in the commission of his latest offending.

Mr Salmman said: “He hasn’t seen his family since his last conviction and he misses them greatly.”

The court heard Jones suffered from depression and had self-harmed.

Judge Neil Bidder QC told the defendant: “In April 2004, you were convicted of a very serious offences when you approached a 12-year-old schoolgirl who was not known to you.

“You followed her from a bus into a public toilet and raped her after you silenced her by putting tape over her mouth.”

He added: “You have continued to show an unhealthy interest in young girls.”

Jones had faced a potential life sentence but the judge decided that the defendant, who was classed as a dangerous offender, be subject of on extended custodial term for the protection of the public.

Judge Bidder told him: “You pose a significant risk to members of the public, particularly young teenage girls.”

Jones was jailed for 14 years and eight months and told he would have to register as a sex offender for life.