A former children's home worker is facing a substantial jail term after being convicted of raping and sexually abusing a vulnerable boy.
The victim, Aaron Leafe, committed suicide six weeks after making a police complaint about Anwar Ismail, who had groomed him from the age of 12.
A Leicester Crown Court jury found Ismail (31) guilty of seven charges and acquitted him of three other counts.
Remanding him into custody to await sentencing next month, Judge Robert Brown told Ismail to expect "a long sentence".
During the trial, Aaron spoke from the grave when his 93-minute video account of what happened, recorded by the police, was played in court.
Aaron said on the tape: "Anwar always pressured me into having sex with him. I didn't want to do it.
"He gave me money. He got me a flat. He let me drive his car.
"He bought me cigarettes and cannabis. I was scared of him. I just did what I was told. That's why I did it."
Prosecutor Mary Prior told the court Aaron took his own life in June 2010 by tying a curtain cord around his neck.
She said he left a note saying: "I can't get over what happened with me and Anwar. I hate him so much."
Ismail, of Matlock Street, Spinney Hills, Leicester, denied all the allegations, saying he genuinely cared about Aaron and wanted to help him.
Former security guard Ismail became a care worker at Woodland Retreat children's home, Chantry Lane, off Groby Road, Leicester, in 2007, where Aaron, then 12, was living.
Staff were concerned about their apparent closeness.
Ismail was dismissed in 2008 for forcibly restraining Aaron, causing an arm injury.
Contact continued privately between them after Aaron was moved to another children's home, Duncanwood Lodge, near Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
Ismail drove from Leicester to meet him.
The guilty verdicts relate to December 2009 and 2010, when Aaron was 14 and 15.
They involved Ismail taking Aaron from Duncanwood Lodge back to his home in Spinney Hills, and keeping him there for three days.
Ismail phoned in sick to get time off work.
Sexual activity took place and Aaron was raped.
Ismail then continued to visit Aaron, driving to Duncanwood Lodge on 16 occasions between December 2009 and April 2010, according to mobile phone cell site evidence tracing his movements.
He would park his Audi in a secluded car park opposite the Lodge and Aaron would climb out of his bedroom window at night to escape, said Mrs Prior. There were door alarms in the bedrooms to alert staff, but no alarms on the windows.
The two would spend hours on the telephone. If Aaron did not answer, Ismail would bombard him with phone calls – on one night alone he rang the teenager 111 times.
In March 2010, Ismail rented a flat in Radford Road, Nottingham, so he could continue to meet Aaron.
On one occasion he pushed Aaron on to the bed in the flat, and kissed him.
Aaron punched him and fled.
He rang the children's home asking to be collected.
Ismail contacted the landlord saying he was giving up the flat and asked him to "destroy" all the paperwork and pretend he had never lived there.
Aaron stopped contact with the defendant.
Ismail then sent him text messages falsely claiming to have throat cancer.
He also sent Aaron a text saying: "I can't live without you."
Mrs Prior said: "As a result of him sending those texts, Aaron took an overdose and disclosed everything to staff at the home."
The staff warned Ismail they would report him to the police if he did not cease contact.
Ismail ignored the warning and drove to Duncanwood Lodge on April 16, 2010, to see Aaron, who refused to go outside.
Ismail was arrested the next day.
When later informed of Aaron's suicide by the police, Ismail asked: "Does that mean the charges are dropped?"
Giving evidence in his defence, Ismail said he told Aaron he loved him in a caring way, not a sexual way. He said he continued to see him to help him, because he was threatening suicide, he said.
Ismail was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child, three of child abduction, a rape and sexual activity with a child, between 2009 and 2010.
He was cleared of two counts of sexual activity with a child and one of attempted rape at Woodland Retreat, in 2007.
Detective Chief Inspector Phil Brighouse said after the hearing: "Ismail took advantage of a vulnerable boy.
"He abused a position of trust and continued to abuse him over a number of months.
"This is a very sad case and there's no good outcome.
"I am glad the jury saw fit to find him guilty and hope this verdict offers Aaron's family some form of closure."
He paid tribute to the investigating officer, Det Sgt Cat Partner, who he said had "worked tirelessly to get Aaron justice".
