"A VOYEURISTIC homosexual," who made and directed a sex film featuring a boy, is behind bars for two years.

Middle-aged Alan Mason was arrested after being seen by schoolboys trying to video film in Burnley bus station toilets.

And today the man who painted a picture of himself as a youth worker and pillar of society in the town, was spotlighted as the focus for "particular concern" by senior police.

When police searched his flat, they found obscene videos in the attic and cellar and editing and copying equipment.

On one tape, Mason, a 55-year-old, who had not worked for over 10 years, was directing and behind the camera as a man and teenage rent boy cavorted naked and had sex.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Mason continued to point out his standing in the community to police and insisted he wouldn't do anything with children, only consenting adults.

Today Detective Inspector Ron Griffiths of Burnley CID said: "We are very concerned about the activities of this man.

"It is of particular concern that other children may have been involved in his activities."

Sentencing Mason, who had admitted possessing indecent photos of a child and incitement to commit a serious sexual offence with a person under 18, Judge Raymond Bennett said it was difficult to conclude from the video the boy was not a willing participant, but it was obvious he was under 18.

He added Mason had continued to offend after being released on bail and people's views on the sentence would differ.

Chris Knight, prosecuting, said in December 1997, Mason was seen filming or trying to film in the toilets on Burnley Bus Station, using a camcorder hidden in a holdall. Schoolboys alerted police and Mason's home in Manchester Road, Burnley, was later searched. Officers found pornographic videos, literature, booklets and magazines, as well as equipment for copying and editing video tapes. Mason denied knowledge of the tapes, was released on bail, but later taken into custody when he breached bail conditions.

Last August, police went again to Mason's flat and found more tapes in the attic. On one, it was Mason "wielding the camcorder," and directing the scene. Another tape was made during the playing of the football World Cup.

Mr Knight said when interviewed, the defendant said the teenager was a "rent boy from Bradford," and he thought he was over 18.

Paul Hague, defending, said Mason, who suffered depression and anxiety, had been on incapacity benefit since 1985.

He had served the equivalent of a 12-month jail sentence in custody and for most of that time had been segregated, after being bullied.

A sentence of more than 12 months would not be justified and probation would give far greater protection to the public.

Mason had found his time on remand stressful, waiting for the case had caused him considerable worry and he had suffered substantial punishment already.

Mr Hague described Mason as a "voyeuristic homosexual," and his associates were people of similar inclinations.

Until recently, a man of good character, Mason was making of the film for the man who was on it and film would have been shown to friends.

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