A paedophile who preyed on young boys was today handed a life sentence at Oxford Crown Court.

David Cullen, 48, admitted 28 sexual offences against children — including rape, sexual assault and taking and distributing indecent images.

Judge Julian Hall handed Cullen, formerly of Blackbird Leys, Oxford, a life sentence and ordered that he serve a minimum of 10 years.

He said: “I have no idea whether he will ever be safe if he is released into the community.”

The Oxford Mail revealed last month Cullen had raped one of his victims when he had been freed on bail by a court.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Gration, head of Public Protection for Oxfordshire, said: "David Cullen has been convicted of a number of serious offences that detail systematic sexual and physical abuse of children.

“He is a dangerous, calculated and manipulative man who not only preyed on children by developing their trust prior to abusing them but manipulated a number of adults to gain access to those victims.

“His conviction is the result of some tenacious investigations by Oxfordshire’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit, which involved a number of difficult enquiries across the country and overseas, combined with the perseverance and bravery of his victims and their families.

“Cullen has been managed by the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) as a Registered Sex Offender since 1996. He has done everything in his power to ensure that his management by the authorities was made as difficult as possible and has shown little or no remorse for the abuse he has carried out.

"This is a difficult time for the victims and their families and Thames Valley Police, together with our partners, continue to offer them support. Without their bravery locking up this dangerous man would not have been possible and I pay tribute to them.”

  • Cullen's offences.
  • July 1996: Jailed for two years at Oxford Crown Court for two charges of gross indecency and one of indecent assault against a 12-year-old boy
  • July 2007: Given an indeterminate sentence at Oxford Crown Court after admitting four charges of sexual assault against a child and twice breaching an interim sexual offences prevention order. Told to serve a minimum of two years and three months. Banned from working with children for life
  • November 2008: Jailed for life after admitting one charge of indecent assault, two of sexual assault, three of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, six of raping a child, two of meeting a child following sexual grooming, six of sexual activity with a child, one of attempted sexual activity with a child, four of taking indecent photographs of a child and three of distributing indecent photographs of children. Ordered to serve a minimum of 10 years and sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.