A MEETH man who blackmailed a wealthy pensioner who sexually abused him more than 20 years earlier when he was a schoolboy, was jailed for six years by Exeter Crown Court last Thursday.

Mark Phillips extorted more than £200,000 during a three-year campaign of threats and bribery against the man, who lives on Dartmoor.

The court heard Mr Phillips, now 41, wanted money, revenge and control against the 70-year-old man who started abusing him when he was 13.

Judge John Williams heard it was in the early to mid 1980s that 'mutual' sexual activity took place between Mr Phillips, a minor, and the man.

Recorder Williams said the blackmail victim, who cannot be named because of a court order, was generous to Mr Phillips financially, before he started to extort money from him between 2005 and October 2008.

The judge said: 'He has had to be generous to keep the past silent.'

Before the blackmail started the victim had given Mr Phillips a business venture.

The court heard Mr Phillips later made more than 30 phone calls to the pensioner demanding money, as he threatened to go to the police and expose him locally as a paedophile.

Mr Phillips demanded £150,000 and told him to sell valuable homes he owned worth £700,000 and £400,000.

The blackmail came to light when some of the victims' friends overheard one of the telephone calls in which Mr Phillips demanded his prized possession — a vintage car worth £15,000.

The court heard the pensioner had 'run out of options' financially. The judge said he must have been 'at his wit's end'.

Recorder Williams said: 'I have absolutely no doubt your aim was to get money from the victim.'

He said Mr Phillips, a married man, may have also have wanted revenge and control but said he had acted 'nastily and callously'.

The court heard the pensioner had paid out £203,000 to 'buy his silence', selling a £700,000 home with sitting tenants for a cut price £340,000 which he had meant to be his retirement fund.

Defence lawyer Nicholas Gerisamedes admitted that Mr Phillips wanted revenge and control over the man who had abused him more than 20 years earlier, calling it 'role reversal'.

Mr Phillips admitted blackmail and was jailed for six years. Another hearing will be held under the Proceeds of Crime Act to see if he can pay back the money.

The court heard the victim was interviewed about the sexual abuse and given a police caution.