November 1998 CHILD-SEX FIEND CAGED Depraved pervert from Sunderland Nigel Carlin, 40, was told by a judge that children had to be protected from him. Carlin, of Blackwood Road, Town End Farm, admitted indecent assault, taking indecent photographs and other serious sex offences. His victims were a boy of 11, another boy aged about seven and a girl under the age of 10. Newcastle Crown Court heard how Carlin was trapped because of his link with another child-sex offender at Liverpool. Officers on Merseyside found a video film of a young boy in an hotel bedroom in Dundee and inquiries established that Carlin had made the recording. He then took it to Liverpool where the film was copied. Brian Forster, prosecuting, said that as well as taking the film, Carlin had indecently assaulted the boy about 10 times.He said Carlins other offences involved attacks on an 11-year-old boy. He had also been involved in an offence against a girl on South Tyneside. The court heard that Carlin was jailed for five years in 1987 for indecently assaulting a boy. Nine years before that, he was put on probation for another sex attack.Mr Foster said Carlin was frank when he was interviewed by the police.”He had met the other man involved in the filming when they were serving a prison sentence and it became clear they had similar interests in young boys.”He said he had visited him after the trip to Dundee to show him the video recording.”The film was copied and it was retained by the other man. “John Evans, defending, said “The defendant was entirely co-operative with the police right from the outset.”His guilty pleas at the first opportunity have relieved the anxiety of the victims having to give evidence. “Judge David Hodson told Carlin reports showed he posed a high risk of re-offending.”There is a substantial risk to the public of you committing sex offences against young children and it is necessary to pass a longer than normal sentence.”