A convicted paedophile who once boasted he was "an expert in child abuse" has been jailed for four months.

Maurice Crossley, 43, who is banned from contact with boys under 16 admitted being in a car with three young children.

He gave a thumbs-up as he was led away to begin his sentence.

Crossley pleaded guilty to being in a car with the children who were aged 11, eight and four, after a church event.

He said he was only in the people carrier for 10 minutes last November.

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Glasgow Sheriff Court heard he was driven from the Freedom City Church in Cumbernauld to his home in Possil, Glasgow.

Crossley expected the driver to take him straight home, but instead he stopped en route to pick up his wife and children from her mother' s home.

The driver then dropped his family off at home before taking Crossley to his home.

Afterwards Crossley, who is on the sex offenders' register, told his police liaison officer what had happened and was arrested.

Crossley has two previous convictions for lewd and libidinous practices.

Prosecutor Lauren Staunton told the court: “The accused told his police liaison officer he had been at the church event.

“During the conversation, he told her he had been in the vehicle with the children.”

Defence lawyer Kevin McCarron said: “He understands this is to protect members of the public.

“He had no warning that there would be children in the car, both children were in the car for 10 minutes.”

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Mr McCarron said that Crossley should have left the car when the children were picked up and made alternative arrangements to get home.

In 2002 after admitting abusing young boys Crossley boasted to a social worker that he was "an expert in child abuse."

He said then that he fantasised about boys and was scared about making more victims in the future.