A child rapist who groomed and preyed on young boys "to meet his own lusts and depravities" could spend the rest of his life in prison after an appeal against his sentence was thrown out today.
Peter Wagerfield used presents, alcohol and cigarettes to win the trust of his victims, aged between 10 and 12, before raping two of them and abusing the others.
The 44-year-old, who was living in Epsom at the time, was jailed indefinitely, for public protection, at Guildford Crown Court last September, having pleaded guilty to a raft of sex offences, including the rapes.
He was ordered to serve a minimum of seven years before he could apply for parole, but, according to the nature of his sentence, Wagerfield could only be released if the parole board is convinced that the danger he poses to society has passed.
Lady Justice Hallett, Mr Justice Sweeney and Judge Martyn Zeldman QC, sitting at London's Criminal Appeal Court, heard his lawyers argue that he did not deserve to be jailed indefinitely.
The court heard how, after winning his victims’ trust, Wagerfield abused and raped the boys, also inciting them to engage in sexual activity with each other, with much of the offending having been filmed and taken place in front of the other victims.
He was eventually caught when one of the boys' mothers became suspicious and called the police, who found a film of Wagerfield abusing another youngster on that boy's phone.
Lawyers for the paedophile admitted he was a "dangerous offender", but argued that his potentially lifelong jail term was excessive.
But Lady Justice Hallett dismissed the argument, saying Wagerfield, now of West Yorkshire, represented "a high risk of harm to children and a danger to young boys."
She added: "The victims were vulnerable and impressionable, and he preyed on them to meet his own lusts and depravities."
A challenge to the length of Wagerfield's minimum term was also thrown out.
The judge concluded: "In this extremely bad case, we cannot see that any real criticism can be made of the sentence. It is not manifestly excessive."
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