A blackmailer who preyed on homosexual men in a lay-by and the toilets in a Worcester park has been jailed for seven years.

Lee Taylor was released after a four-and-a-half year jail sentence in November last year for similar offences and within three days of his release he sought out more victims, Worcester Crown Court heard.

The 24-year-old has now been banned from entering Gheluvelt Park in Worcester until further order.

His method was to meet complete strangers and engage in sexual activity with them before threatening to reveal their secret to their families and employers, Patrick Sullivan, prosecuting, told the court.

On November 12 last year, his first victim drove to a lay-by on the A449 just outside Worcester at about 6pm and Taylor approached him. They had consensual sexualmactivity and the victim then gave Taylor a lift.

"As they drove off, Taylor asked his victim for money for what had happened or he would make sure his family and his employer would know," Mr Sullivan told the court. He also threatened to report him for rape because the DNA evidence was all over him, Mr Sullivan said.

The man's family "knew about his inclinations but not how he satisfied them," Mr Sullivan said, and he panicked. He drove to a house and told Taylor it was home but as they approached the property, the victim said he had forgotten his keys and went back to his car. He drove off as Taylor tried to grab the door handle and he later reported the incident to police.

In the late morning on November 20, Taylor met a homosexual man for sexual activity in the toilets at Gheluvelt Park. The man afterwards gave him a lift and Taylor asked for money in exchange for keeping quiet. The victim was frightened and drove to a cash point and gave him £100 but later told police and they connected the two incidents and arrested Taylor. He pleaded guilty to two charges of blackmail.

Jason Aris, defending, said Taylor, of no fixed address, could not find work after his release from jail and was living on the streets. He had no other way of getting money. He had shown genuine remorse and intended to use his time in prison to gain qualifications.

Recorder Nicolas (CORRECT) Cartwright jailed Taylor for three years for the first offence and four years for the second, to run consecutively, a total of seven years.

"There needs to be a deterrent not just for you but for others," he told Taylor.

He issued a restraining order covering Gheluvelt Park and Taylor, who appeared by video link from prison, said he was grateful because keeping away from the park would help him keep out of trouble in future.

The court ordered that the victims should not be named.