FORMER Royal Mail workers at a Bradford depot have spoken of their shock after a colleague was jailed for a string of paedophilia offences.

Neil Watkin, 48, of Allerton Road, Allerton, was jailed for 13 years last week after being found guilty of an attempted serious sexual assault, ten counts of indecent assault and eight of gross indecency.

He plied youngsters with cannabis, cigarettes and alcohol and gave them big cash handouts at the "bolthole" he provided at his then flat in Holme Wood, Bradford Crown Court heard.

These attacks were on two boys and date back almost 15 years ago. He was jailed on November 25.

Watkin was initially jailed for two and a half years in January 2012 for sexually assaulting a Bradford boy he was taking to football training in the summer of 2010.

One of his victims saw coverage of Watkin's original trial in the Telegraph & Argus and came forward to police.

Before he was convicted, Watkin worked btewen 2009 and 2012 as a postman based at the Bradford South Delivery Office in Ripley Street, Bradford.

He informed his bosses that he had been in contact with police over this sexual assault allegation.

But former workers at Bradford South Royal Mail's office have expressed their anger that they were not told of these allegations at the time. and claim Watkin was allowed to continue on his rounds in Great Horton, Wyke, Oakenshaw and Scholemoor until he was charged and suspended.

Michael Stevens, of Torre Road, Horton Bank Top, Bradford, who worked at the Bradford South depot as a postman from 1998 to 2012, said: "It makes my skin crawl.

"It makes me feel sick just thinking about it. It's scary. I never spoke to him. He kept himself to himself."

Joseph Bale, of Garfield Place, Allerton, who still works for the Royal Mail, said: "You never expect anything like this. It's the sort of job that you trust everybody.

"I knew of him from 2008. I didn't speak to him as I did a different round to him. I remembered him. I used to just see him walking around the depot.

"We did not know about the charges until the court case against him."

Royal Mail confirmed Watkin told his bosses he had been in contact with the police over allegations of a sexual nature when he worked at the depot.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “As soon as Royal Mail found out that this employee had been charged with these offences, he was suspended and then dismissed.”

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