A “SLIMEBALL” paedophile previously jailed for sexually assaulting a ten-year-old boy has been warned to expect a “substantial” prison sentence after being found guilty of a string of historic sex offences against five boys.

Neil Watkin’s previous conviction two years ago led to five men coming forward to allege that the 48-year-old had abused them when they were younger.

Yesterday at Bradford Crown Court, a jury of four women and eight men found Watkin, of Allerton Road, Allerton, guilty of an attempted serious sexual assault, ten counts of indecent assaults and eight of gross indecency.

The court heard that the attempted serious sexual assault charge carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Watkin was also found not guilty of two counts of rape and six of indecent assault.

Earlier, the trial had been told Watkin had molested boys between 1994 and 2004 after inviting them to his then flat at Kelso House, Sterling Crescent, Holme Wood, Bradford, and giving them money.

The court was told he began abusing the boys soon after he arrived in the city from Hampshire in 1994. All were under 16.

One man said he was 12 or 13 when Watkin asked him to put on trousers from a Little Chef uniform. They were too big and Watkin put his hand down to see how baggy they were.

Watkin had told police that boys often came to his flat in those days and he gave them money but nothing sexual happened. He had relationships with two of them when they were adults.

The verdicts were welcomed by a mum whose son, now aged 27, gave evidence that helped to convict Watkin in 2012. That evidence was also mentioned during the latest trial.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said: “He is a slimeball. Children have had to suffer at the hands of this slimeball.”

The woman praised the five victims for coming forward after Watkin was convicted in 2012.

She said: “If it was not for those boys being courageous enough, he would still be getting away with it.

“I am really glad he will get a substantial sentence. I hope and do pray that he gets a life term.”

Watkin sat with his arms behind his back before the jury returned with their verdicts. He was emotionless as the first eight verdicts - which were not guilty - were read out, but appeared shaky and nervous when the foreman started giving guilty verdicts on the remaining 19.

The woman said: “When they were giving not guilty verdicts tears started running down my face and I had to leave the court room. But then there were tears of relief.”

Judge Peter Benson was due to sentence Watkin yesterday, but changed his mind and asked for more time and victim impact statements.

“I think it is very important I have a full assessment of the impact upon them,” he said, before adding that Watkin could expect a “substantial sentence”.

Watkin will be sentenced on November 25.