Jack Bolton 81

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Jack Bolton, of Dunston, is a former Boys' Brigade officer who has dozens of convictions for indecently assaulting young boys

Serial paedophile Jack Bolton is back behind bars for ruining the life of another young boy by sexually abusing him.

The depraved former Boys' Brigade officer has a sickening history of sex attacks on male children going back as far as the 1970s and was jailed for nine years in 2011 for 33 offences of indecent assault. Now the 79-year-old pervert, of Yetholm Road, Dunston, Gateshead, has admitted abusing a boy he groomed by offering to let him drive his car and sitting him on his knee around 30 years ago.

The victim, now an adult, bravely came forward after keeping the abuse to himself and said it has had a devastating impact on his life. Newcastle Crown Court heard the victim recalled how Bolton used to sell eggs and would take him out in his car.

Lee Fish, prosecuting, said: "He would ask the complainant if he wished to drive his car and would sit him on his knee to facilitate this. The prosecution say at this time he had a clear sexual interest in young boys. This was classic grooming behaviour. The defendant then sexually abused (him)."

Bolton pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting the victim on the basis it happened no more than five times. He also admitted indecency with a child on the basis it happened no more than ten times. He was jailed for three years and four months.

In a victim impact statement, he said: "Looking back I can see this has affected my entire life. The effect of telling people what happened to me has seeped into every aspect of my life.

"I feel unclean and there's a stain that can't be washed off. Hopefully by letting him know how I feel I can start to get over this and leave him where he belongs, in the past, not affecting my future."

Judge Tim Gittins said he was bound to follow the sentencing regime in place at the time of the offences, which is much lower than the modern day equivalent. He told Bolton: "(The victim) is now a survivor of your depraved behaviour. He has shown considerable courage coming forward in these circumstances when almost every aspect of his life has been subject to substantial damage because of what you did to him when he was a young boy."

As well as the prison sentence, lifelong sex offender registration continues, as does a sexual offences prevention order.

The court heard Bolton has 52 previous convictions, mainly for abusing young boys. In 1970 he was convicted of two counts of indecently assaulting boys.

In 1992 he was convicted of eight counts of indecent assault and gross indecency. In 1995 he was sentenced for indecently assaulting a 12-year-old. In 1997 he was convicted of four indecent assaults on boys aged 12 and 14. In March 2011 he was jailed for nine years for 33 indecent assaults on boys.

Annelise Haugstad, defending, said Bolton pleaded guilty and added that the offences happened over a short duration.