A paedophile sentenced to three and a half years in jail should have been imprisoned for at least ten years, according to a Bradford MP.

Terry Rooney, Labour MP for Bradford North, expressed outrage at the term given to repeat-offender Terence Bolton who was convicted of indecently assaulting three young boys. He plans to approach the Lord Chancellor with regard to the sentence.

And he applauded Bradford Social Services for opening an inquiry into why they were not told that Bolton, 51, had served a 12-month jail term in 1973 for similar offences.

He said: "I think it's time we started locking up the judges. Anyone like this should get at least ten years and then be supervised for the rest of their lives.

"Children are not safe with people like this around and I will be requesting a review from the Lord Chancellor."

A jury at Bradford Crown Court heard on Friday that Bolton, a grandfather who lived at Hazelhurst Court, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford, admitted two charges of indecency and three of indecent assault against three boys now aged 12, 11 and six.

Judge Robert Taylor, sentencing, ordered Bolton to be placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life. He is likely to be free in 12 months.

Following the sentence the Crown Prosecution Service announced it would appeal against the length of the jail term. And Bradford Social Services revealed officers had not been told of Bolton's earlier conviction when inquiries were made following concerns from one of the boys' parents.

Mr Rooney said: "It's another scandal, the same thing happened at Ashworth Hospital. Communication breakdowns happen all too easily when a number of agencies are involved and steps must be taken to ensure they don't continue.

"Bradford Council is right to open an inquiry and I hope the police are doing the same. This case also proves once a paedophile, always a paedophile."

He added he would be taking Saturday's T&A article, which broke the story, to Home Secretary Jack Straw to highlight the problem.

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