A child abuser has been sentenced to nine years in prison after a judge gave him time to sort out care for his dementia-suffering mum.

Bradford Crown Court heard today that Paul O’Mara had been found guilty by a jury of sex offences against an under-age girl who must not be identified, but Judge Ahmed Nadim postponed his sentence hearing as “an act of mercy” so the 44-year-old could make arrangements for his mother.

O’Mara, of Mixenden Road, Halifax, returned to the crown court this morning and was jailed for forcing the child to perform oral sex on him and two further sexual assault matters.

Barrister Jayne Beckett, for O’Mara, said he was “black-out drunk” at the time of the rape offence and had also taken some cocaine.

She said his imprisonment was going to hurt his 80-year-old mother who suffers from dementia.

“Your Honour allowed him bail as an act of mercy to sort out care for her,” said Mrs Beckett.

“You will say he has brought this on himself, but it doesn’t mean he’s not devastated.”

She said O’Mara, who had no previous convictions, would go into custody wracked with guilt about what he had done and what he was going to do to his mother.

Judge Nadim said O’Mara’s victim was vulnerable and she had not been able to get him off her during the abuse.

“I find as a fact that as a result of your violation of this child, your abuse of her, you have contributed to her confidence being further undermined,” the judge told O’Mara.

“At the time you committed this offence you were heavily under the influence of alcohol.

“You are a man of previous good character and you have struggled to explain to yourself, and to the court, as to why and how it is you became involved in this very serious offending.”

O’Mara, who will serve at least six years behind bars, will now have to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life and he will also have to comply with an indefinite sexual harm prevention order which bans him from having contact with girls under 16.