A 57-year-old man has been jailed for four years and three months for sexually molesting a young boy.

Joseph Crowther, of no fixed address, abused the child over a five-year period, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

He pleaded guilty to six offences of sexually assaulting a boy under 13.

The abuse came to light when the victim told his father “bad things had been happening to him”, prosecutor John Gregg told the court. His behaviour had changed so much his parents had referred him to a child psychologist.

Crowther told the police he was “ashamed and sorry” for what he had done.

The court was told that he had worked in labouring and driving jobs. He had never been in trouble before.

Judge Alistair McCallum said Crowther’s probation officer assessed that he posed a high risk to young children.

Crowther was ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register for life and received a lifelong sexual offences prevention order.