A paedophile jailed for life for preying on young boys was tonight labelled “sick” after lodging an appeal against his sentence.

David Cullen, formerly of Blackbird Leys, was ordered to serve a minimum of 10 years behind bars last month after admitting a string of sex offences against children.

But now the 48-year-old ex-football referee, who raped and abused five boys after grooming them with gifts, is hoping to get his 10-year minimum sentence reduced.

The move was described as a “slap in the face” by the mother of a 14-year-old boy he raped and abused three years ago.

The 40-year-old woman, who cannot be named, said: “It is absolutely disgusting.

“I will be horrified if he is allowed the appeal.We are carrying a life sentence. My son still does not sleep in his own bed or get undressed at night.

“He will carry this until the end of his life and so should David Cullen.

“It is another slap in the face for the victims. He is a dangerous man. He is never going to be safe.”

Cullen met one of his victims in the car park of McDonald's in Witney after posing as a 13-year-old boy in an Internet chatroom.

Oxford Crown Court heard he removed the seats from his Toyota people carrier and had sex with the boy while making another child film him.

He then sent the video to a fellow paedophile in the USA.

Fiona Gill, of Barton, is related to Cullen by marriage and was physically sick after hearing details of his abuse at Oxford Crown Court last month.

The 42-year-old said: “It is just sick. It makes me angry.

“I do not think he should have the right to appeal. It is a kick in the teeth.

“His victims were brave to come forward but I think they will each be thinking now ‘what was the point?’”

Cullen admitted 28 charges against children — including rape, indecent assault, sexual activity, grooming and distributing indecent images — but refused to come into court for his sentencing.

He raped one of the youngsters, aged 10, in January 2007 after being given bail at Oxford Crown Court because the maximum time he could spend on remand had run out.

A spokesman for Oxford Crown Court confirmed Cullen had lodged an appeal.

esimmonds@oxfordmail.co.uk