A Warminster paramedic has been jailed after a court heard how he carried out a series of sex attacks on an 11-year-old boy.
Michael Ewers, 41, of Boreham Road, Warminster, had denied four charges of indecency with a child and one other serious sex offence when he appeared at Reading Crown Court on Tuesday but he was was convicted on all five counts.
The court heard he carried out the attacks at his former home in Maidenhead, Berkshire, between May 1988 and May 1991, when his victim was aged between 11 and 13.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is now a 32-year-old married father. The offences only came to light when the talked to his wife about what happened.
As the first guilty verdict, on a single count of a serious sexual offence, was announced the defendant’s relatives in the public gallery gasped in shock.
Judge John Reddihough immediately proceeded to sentencing, sending 41-year-old Ewers to jail for eight years. He told Ewers: “I have no doubt you undertook all these actions solely for your own gratification.
“You were preying on his insecurity. In a misconceived way he thought you were showing him affection. In fact the opposite was the truth.”
The jury heard Ewers, a paramedic employed by the Great Western Ambulance Service, introduced the then schoolboy to pornography before later encouraging him to carry out sex acts.
The attacks were carried out in Ewers’ bedroom.
Daniel Fugallo, prosecuting, told the court Ewers took advantage of the vulnerable schoolboy.
He said: “The sexual abuse started with the defendant showing this 11-year-old boy his collection of pornographic magazines.”
The court was told the defendant turned to encouraging the victim to touch him indecently.
Giving evidence the victim told the jury on Tuesday that Ewers had been like a father figure to him but the abuse had blighted his life.
“It felt good to have someone at my side, most of all a father figure,” he said.
“There weren’t many males I could get close to and in some ways it was the first time I had felt loved by a man,” he said.
He told the court Ewers had warned him about telling anyone about what went on.
“He said that if I was to say anything no one would believe me,” he added.
Ian Lawrie, defending, asked the witness why he continued to go up to the bedroom.
The victim replied: “There was a level of emotional attachment with it.”
He also admitted he felt he had a certain amount of power over the defendant.
Ewers, who is married, claimed the victim invented the encounters to deal with his own insecurities. When arrested by police he refused to answer any questions.
Ewers joined the auxiliary RAF in 1990 before later becoming a paramedic based in Wiltshire.
He was suspended from duties by the Health Professions Council after his arrest.
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