Pub worker Rowland Williams has been jailed for indecently assaulting an 11-year-old sea scout as he lay in a tent.

Sentencing Williams, 49, of Dover Avenue, Banbury, to 18 months, Judge Anthony King said: "This was a very serious act and no other sentence other than a custodial one is appropriate."

Oxford Crown Court had earlier been told Williams had come to the tent with a torch and tapped the boy on the shoulder before assaulting him.Nigel Daly, prosecuting, said the boy had no reason to make the claims up and he failed to tell police earlier because he was embarrassed.

David Bright, defending, said: "The boy's description of the moments in the tent are wholly unconvincing.

"Children come up with the most weird and wonderful things without realising the consequences."

The boy had earlier given evidence by video link saying that the assault felt 'weird', but he did not feel any pain.

Mr Williams was found not guilty of raping the boy and not guilty of a third charge of indecently assaulting the boy's ten-year-old friend.

He has no previous convictions for sexual offences but has a long history of crime including obtaining property by deception and leaving false phone messages.

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