Ian Parry (47), of Pennine Road, Bacup, admitted making phone calls to victims across East Lancashire and Manchester after being arrested in a public phone box in August 2007.

He was charged with ten counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and pleaded guilty to eight charges at Burnley Crown Court. Two further charges were ordered to lie on the file.

In September 2006 Burnley police received a report from a Rawtenstall woman saying she had been contacted by a man who engaged her in conversation before threatening to rape her.

After this first report police in Lancashire and Greater Manchester received 105 similar complaints from victims who had been subjected to threatening, humiliating and obscene phone calls.

Det. Sgt Steve Holgate said: "We welcome the substantial custodial sentence given to Ian Parry today, which reflects the very serious nature of his crimes.

"During this investigation it has become clear that Parry gains sexual gratification from humiliating, threatening and dominating his victims whilst on the phone. He subjects them to a barrage of obscene threats and is indiscriminate in his targeting of people whether they are children, adults or elderly people.

"The effect these phone calls have had on their victims can only be described, as horrific."