A DIRECTOR who set up an award-winning youth theatre company in Trowbridge has been jailed for having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy.

Rhys Young, 49, of Dovecote Close in Trowbridge, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison at Swindon Crown Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to sexual activity with the boy, dating back to August 2006.

The charges included engaging in sexual activity with the boy, causing him to watch a sexual act and taking indecent photographs of him. A previous charge of paying the boy for sex was dropped.

Young set up Eklypse Musical Theatre group in 2000 to provide young people with the chance to perform on stage at various venues across the district.

The company won Best Youth Musical at the prestigious Rose Bowl Awards in 2001 for its first production, The Boyfriend.

But it emerged in court that Young also has a previous conviction for a similar offence dating back to 1996, for which he was also jailed.

He set up Eklypse with his partner at the time Bruce Walcroft, 31, who said he knew about the previous conviction.

Mr Walcroft, Young's partner for seven years, said after the hearing: "He is one of the gentlest, kindest people I know. I was aware of his previous conviction and I was constantly vigilant there was never any incident where he was left alone with a child.

"If I had ever felt there was any danger or risk I would have stopped it.

"No-one else knew - it was unfair for them to know because of the preconceptions."

The court heard that Young had handed himself into police in March after becoming convinced that the 15-year-old boy was going to blackmail him.

Prosecuting, Colin Meeke, said Young had met the boy when he was 13 years old and they became friends.

The sexual relationship only started later and Mr Meeke added that 'insofar as a 14 or 15 year old man can consent, he did consent to the activity."

Defending, Neil Saunders, said this was not a case of sexual 'grooming' and said the relationship had started after the victim had asked Young to take photographs of him.

Judge Douglas Field said: "This incident arose at a time when your previous long-term relationship had ended and you felt lost and abandoned.

"I am prepared to believe that this was not a predatory grooming case but there was a big age difference between you and the boy.

"You behaved very selfishly towards him.

"The fact that you committed a similar offence is an additional aggravating feature."

Friends of Young's who were in court said they were pleased with the result of the sentence and said he could now get the help he needs.

Julie Davies, of Bradford on Avon, said: "Rhys has been feeling very, very regretful about it. He is very, very remorseful about what he has done and he needs rehabilitation.

"It is such a shame because he has helped a huge number of young people and he is such a talented director."