A DYING man who was sexually abused as a boy by a children’s home boss says he is comforted after seeing his attacker finally punished for his horrific crimes.

Rodney Smallman subjected boys across the country to sadistic abuse in the 1970s and 1980s when he was supposed to be looking after them.

Last year, Smallman, of Erica Close, Banbury, was jailed for 12-and-a-half years at Oxford Crown Court after being found guilty of 15 counts of indecent assault on male children.

On August 8, this was extended by four years after he pleaded guilty at Manchester Crown Court to 12 sex crimes against more boys.

One of Smallman's victims Michael Hands, 56, who has just months to live, said he was pleased no other children would be harmed.

Mr Hands, who suffers from lung fibrosis, waived his right to anonymity to speak about his ordeal at Holmlea in Salford.

Ending up in the care system at age 10 after his parents found eight children too much to cope with, he was targeted by Smallman two years later.

The Manchester born man told how Smallman raped him and locked him in a room for a week.

He said: "The first time he used a weapon. I was pouring in blood. He put me in the bath and filled it up with cold water.

"You do not understand death when you're 12 years old but you just realised what was coming.

"He used dump my head under the water in the bath until I was gasping for air. Blood was pouring out of me, but he never called a doctor - he never told anyone.

"I haven't had a bath since then, I only ever go in the shower. It really has affected me. I was one of the worst cases."

Mr Hands said he went to the police station as a child, but was told he was lying to avoid going back to the home.

The stepfather-of-four said over the years his memories of his trauma would come back when watching documentaries and films such as the Color Purple.

Mr Hands said he first spoke out the police about his horrific experiences in 2014 after he saw a website by abuse lawyers asking for victims in care homes to come forward.

He added: "I was on the internet and this website had a list of homes where people had been abused and it said Holmlea, I knew it was time to go to the police then.

"He will die in prison, but the longer he lives the more he will suffer in prison.

"Mr family have all been supportive of me. I wanted to protect children more than anything."