April 2014 Pensioner David Hughes jailed for indecent assaults on schoolboy PENSIONER David Hughes has been jailed for more than three years after he indecently assaulted a boy. The 71-year-old, who used to run a youth club, committed the offences on a schoolboy who was aged between 10 and 12. The assaults took place on a regular basis over a period of more than two years. Now Hughes has been jailed for 40 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Prosecutor Neil Ahuja said the abuse started when the victim was aged 10. Mr Ahuja said: “He started to tickle him under his arms and behind his knees.” The court heard Hughes then indecently assaulted the boy. The abuse stopped after the boy confided in a friend at school when he was aged 12. Mr Ahuja said the victim, who is now an adult, has been severely affected by the abuse and has made attempts on his own life. Hughes handed himself into police in December. He admitted his offending and said he knew it was wrong. He added he believed it was curiosity which made him abuse the boy. Hughes, of Chell Green Avenue, Chell Green, who is of previous good character, pleaded guilty to six charges of indecent assault. Stuart Muldoon, mitigating, said the aggravating features were the ongoing effect on the victim and the duration of the offending. He said Hughes’s family have had to live with the embarrassment and shame of his offending. Mr Muldoon said Hughes has been on remand in prison for four months. He added: “This is a very sad case.” Judge David Fletcher said the offending was aggravated due to Hughes’s persistence and the victim was a vulnerable child. Jailing Hughes, Judge Fletcher said: “To say you ruined the victim’s life is not to overstate the true position because that is what you have done. That was a wicked thing for you to have done. “You caused severe psychological harm to your victim.” After the sentencing hearing, a Staffordshire Police spokesman said: “Staffordshire Police is committed to protecting children and other vulnerable members of the community. “We thoroughly investigate all allegations of sexual abuse, including historic offences, and work with partners to tackle these very serious crimes in a sensitive manner.”