A predatory paedophile who used computer games to groom a young boy he raped and sexually abused has been jailed.

Anwar Ali, 33, abused the child for four years.

Police said he would use computer games to lure the boy away from other people before sexually assaulting him on numerous occasions. He later raped the child.

Ali’s sickening crimes were uncovered after a tip-off led officers from GMP’s Child Protection Unit to seize and examine one of his computers.

Searches revealed that it had been used to view indecent images of children and Ali was arrested.

The extent of the abuse was then discovered.

He denied assaulting the victim, now a teenager, forcing him to give evidence in court.

Ali, of Chapel Street, Hyde, was found guilty of five counts of rape of a child under 12; four counts of sexual assault; and two counts of accessing indecent images of children following a trial at Minshull Street Crown Court.

He was sentenced to 21 years in prison.

Police chiefs praised the victim’s bravery.

Detective Constable Louise Isherwood from GMP’s Child Protection Unit said: “Ali is a sexual predator who not only used a young boy’s interest in computer games to abuse him over a prolonged period, but had the audacity to plead innocence from the point of police interview and right throughout the trial, forcing the victim to relive this horrific ordeal.

“But, thanks to the courage of his victim – who did not want to tell his friends and family about this abuse and coped with it on his own before receiving specialist support from officers – we have today’s sentence, which sends out a clear message that no matter when these types of crime happen, they will be taken very seriously.”

If you, or someone you know, has been raped or sexually assaulted, do not to suffer in silence.

Report it to police, or a support agency, to get help.

Call Greater Manchester Police on 101, or St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre on 0161 276 6515, whether or not you want make a police report.

You can also call Manchester Rape Crisis,a service for women and girls on 0161 273 4500 or Survivors Manchester, which offers support to male victims of rape and sexual abuse on 0161 236 2182.