A man found guilty after a trial of gross indecency with, and a serious sexual act against, a nine-year-old boy in the late 1980s has been sentenced at Bradford Crown Court.

The court heard that Paul Mullock, now 50 and living in Italy, was “experimenting” when, aged 14, he persuaded the younger boy to engage in sexual behaviour in the Bradford district.

His offending came to light after the victim, who was “tortured” by the thought of not being believed, finally confided in relatives who called the police.

He said he had not come forward earlier as he was “too scared to tell anybody, was embarrassed, and felt dirty”.

Mullock, of Via Antonio di Berti, Rome, stood trial and was convicted. He had no previous convictions.

Sentencing Mullock, Mr Recorder Gurdial Singh said adult sentencing guidelines did not apply as Mullock was himself a child at the time of the offending and that no grooming behaviour had taken place.

He also noted the passage of time, Mullock’s lack of offending since, and that he was not considered to be a dangerous offender.

Recorder Singh said: “It seems to me that the appropriate disposal is one of a community order. The alternative would be a custodial sentence of 12 months.

“Were I to impose that you would serve half and be released with very little supervision and no support to address why it was you behaved in this way.

“The appropriate penalty is one that offers protection to the public by addressing those underlying concerns.”

He handed Mullock a 24-month community order and ordered him to undertake 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Mullock, who is to return to live in the UK, was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for the next five years.