Jeremy Farrow 56

Description

A youngster left troubled after being molested by a Thornbury man found courage, with maturity, to report his abuser.

And as a result that abuser is now in prison.

The boy was aged 10 or 11 when Jeremy Farrow sexually abused him, Bristol Crown Court heard.

After Farrow told him not to say anything the child said nothing, but after some years he emailed his mum describing what Farrow had subjected him to.

Police were called in and Farrow was arrested.

Farrow, 53, of Castle Court, pleaded guilty to: causing a child aged under-13 to engage in sexual activity; engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child aged under-16 and breach of a Sexual Offence Prevention Order. (SOPO)

The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Peter Blair QC jailed him for seven-and-a-half years.

The judge told him: "You told him to keep quiet and that's what he did until it all became too much.

"You have caused severe, psychological harm to that young man."

Farrow was barred from working with children and was told to comply with sex offender notification, indefinitely.

James Tucker, prosecuting via video link, said the boy changed from being "bright and diligent" to a cannabis smoker whose academic work declined.

There came a time when he emailed his mum, describing how Farrow abused him.

The court heard Farrow committed a sex act in front of the boy, and got the boy to carry out a sex act on him.

As a result the complainant found relationships difficult and acted improperly at school, the court heard.

But as years passed he came to realise the abuse and its toll on him and no longer kept it bottled.

Tabitha Macfarlane, defending, said her client had his own issues to deal with, including a catastrophic brain injury.

She told the court Farrow, who has breached his SOPO on several occasions, wanted to make a fresh start in jail and hoped to take courses including a sex offender programme.