A VICTIM of a sex attack has described how his abuser “destroyed his faith in humankind”.

Liam Hallam and his sister both faced Scott Webb in court yesterday as the paedophile was jailed for more than eight years.

Liam, now 20, has since begun the process of transitioning into a man, but as an eight-year-old little girl he was repeatedly abused by Webb.

In a brave move, both victims have agreed to waive their automatic anonymity granted to victims of sexual offences, in order to encourage others to not be afraid to come forward.

Burnley Crown Court heard how in 2007 Liam disclosed the abuse to his mother Bekka Higgins after someone saw Webb kissing the youngster.

At the time Webb lived around the corner from Liam’s family and as the son of his mother’s best friend Webb, then 16, was trusted to babysit the two sisters.

“Scott Webb would pick up Liam from school and take him back home,” prosecutor Amanda Johnson said.

“After a couple of times babysitting Webb began to abuse him.

“Liam would be playing on his Xbox in his bedroom and the defendant would enter and close the door.

“He began by putting his arm around him, kissing him on the neck and lips.

“He tried to put his hand down Liam’s top but he was pushed away. Scott Webb told him ‘It’s normal’ and said he may as well get it over and done with.

“Liam was scared and tried to get away but the defendant pushed him back onto the bed. He became bolder and later held him down.

“The defendant told him to shut up and carry on. Liam was crying and the defendant said he was a wimp.”

Speaking after the sentencing, Liam said Webb had cruelly manipulated him.

“If I was speaking to him now I’d say ‘You make me feel physically sick; the way you manipulated and controlled me’,” he said.

“Why did you do what you did?"

Liam was determined to attend the sentencing to look Webb in the eye.

“He is a monster,” he said.

“There’s no other way to describe him.

"There’s no excuse or explanation for why he did what he did to us. He destroyed the faith I had in humankind.”

With her arm protectively around her son Mrs Higgins spoke of her relief that justice had finally prevailed.

But she said her disgust and hatred for Webb would never fade.

“When they were talking about the psychiatric assessment he had ahead of his sentencing I wanted to kill him,” she said.

“What he did was purely disgusting and inexplicable.

"He is a monster.

“But my children refused to allow anything to get in their way in their fight for justice.

“Their determination was led by their hope to encourage other victims to speak out and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”