Teenage sex offenders in Bradford are being targeted under a new programme to stop them becoming lifetime abusers.

Ten boys aged 14 to 17 are being dealt with so far under the initiative, one of a handful in the country, which aims to stop them re-offending.

Experts believe levels of abuse in the community are likely to be far higher than recorded in the courts. The £80,000 venture between social services and probation chiefs was set up six months ago but has now been safeguarded for the next three years thanks to cash from Bradford's Health Action Zone.

Mark Siddall, of West Yorkshire Probation Service in Bradford, said the scheme built on the success of an existing programme dealing with adults.

Teenagers who admitted offences including indecent assault and rape, usually on other children, were dealt with under the programme as part of probation orders or as a condition of their licence on release from custody.

They were given intensive courses to find out why they had committed the offences and to steer them away from further crimes.

"It's important to treat sex offenders as young as possible. The longer it is left, the harder it is to treat them and if we get them young it will hopefully stop them becoming adult sex offenders," he said.

"Such treatment works, which is another reason why it is important.

"The majority of sex offenders don't get caught but of those who do, a large number start in their early teens.

"We're not talking about an illness which has a cure, we're talking about people's attitudes

"In the same way some men think it's okay to hit women, some people think it's okay to sexually abuse others. They have to acknowledge there is a problem."

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