A paedophile who posed as a teacher so he could sexually abuse a boy with learning difficulties has been jailed indefinitely.
Vile Steven Bartlett, 33, faked his qualifications to get a job as a supply teacher in a school.
Bartlett used his position to groom a 15-year-old boy with autism before he lured him to his home where he molested him.
He was jailed indefinitely after he admitted a string of child sex offences and two of fraud at Coventry Crown Court.
Sentencing, Judge Phillip Gregory told him: ”I am entirely satisfied that over a period of time, the defendant engaged in grooming his victim for the purposes of sexual activity.
”I have therefore come to the conclusion that he does pose a significant risk to members of the public.”
Bartlett pleaded guilty to eight counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two counts of fraud.
Steven Thomas, prosecuting, told the court Bartlett faked references for a recruitment agency who found him work at a school in Coventry.
Bartlett worked at the school as a supply English teacher and teaching before leaving to set up his own recruitment agency.
Shockingly, he worked in a string of schools without ever being challenged over his dodgy qualifications.
He began grooming his victim when he was given a full-time position at a secondary school.
Mr Thomas told the court: ”When he was 14 or 15, the boy had questions about his own sexuality.
”He was also autistic. He was a vulnerable young man. The defendant took advantage of him.”
When the boy left the school Bartlett bombarded him with text messages and twice persuaded him to come to his home in Coventry last March.
Mr Thomas said on the first occasion Bartlett plied the boy with booze but ”nothing of a sexual nature” happened.
But the second time the boy went to Bartlett’s home, he told the lad ”time for bed” before molesting him in his bedroom.
Bartlett sexually assaulted the boy a third time before the lad confided in a friend who persuaded him to contact charity Childline who called the police.
Speaking after the case, a spokesman for Coventry City Council said: ”It is despicable when someone abuses the trust placed in them and we welcome this sentence.
”In his time as a supply teacher he was employed by an agency, who had the responsibility of checking qualifications and police records, and not the local authority.
”We have provided information to the police to help in their actions against this man.”
Bartlett must serve a minimum of two years before he is eligible for parole.
During the investigation police also found £60,000 worth of goods at Bartlett’s fathers house, which the defendant had reported as stolen.
Bartlett was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and will be subject to a Sex Offenders’ Prevention Order upon his release.