A man who groomed and then sexually abused an 11-year-old boy has been jailed for 18 months.

Ashley Glendale created opportunities to be alone with the vulnerable boy to give him the chance to molest him.

And Glendale, 58, even touched the boy inappropriately after getting him to sit on his lap in front of his mother.

But a judge was told the child 'freaked out' when Glendale did that and shouted to his mum: 'Why did you let him in our house?'.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that Glendale knew the boy's mother through his then partner.

The defendant and his boyfriend would visit her home and the boy would also go to their house in Rudloe, he said.

One day in July last year the youngster went there to watch a film and was sitting on the sofa when Glendale put his hand down his trousers.

"In due course he told him not to tell his mother, that it was a 'guy thing'," Mr Meeke said.

Later that summer the defendant was at the victim's family home when he improperly touched the boy over his trousers after getting him to sit on his lap.

When the boy told his mother what had happened she was unsure about contacting the authorities as she did not want to put her vulnerable son through the ordeal of court.

But when Glendale's partner learned what had happened he went straight to the police after speaking to Glendale and the boy.

When he was questioned he denied any wrongdoing saying that he had not touched the boy in a sexual way.

But Glendale, of Northcroft Road, Corsham, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 at court.

The court was told that the defendant suffers from sever angina and had never been in trouble before.

He has now moved away from the victim's family and his relationship with his partner had also come to an end.

Jailing him, Judge Tim Mousley QC said: "When you were questioned you denied it, if any touching it was not sexual. I do not accept that as it conflicts with you telling him not to tell his mother.

"The boy has problems, you knew that and I regard that as an aggravating feature. You developed your friendship with him so that essentially there was in committing these offences an element of breach of trust.

"I am also satisfied that there was an element of grooming on your behalf to the extent that you created opportunities to abuse him in the way you did.

"He said after the second occasion he freaked out, that is an indication of the emotional impact you offending had on him."

As well as an 18-month jail term he was told he must observe a sexual offences prevention order for ten years.

The judge also imposed a restraining order banning him from contacting his victim for ten years, the length of time he must register as a sex offender.