June 2015 Former Meir Heath newsagent jailed for historic sex offences against schoolboy PERVERT Ian Clark has been jailed after he indecently assaulted a schoolboy. The pensioner, a former newsagent in Meir Heath, was in his early 40s when he sexually abused the youngster. But decades later the victim felt strong enough to contact the authorities and the defendant was prosecuted. The 67-year-old denied four offences of indecent assault but was convicted of all charges by a jury at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court earlier this year. Now Clark has been jailed for five years and placed on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life. Prosecutor Raj Punia said the abuse spanned a three year period from 1988 to 1991. Miss Punia said: “The defendant persistently abused the teenager. “There was a grooming element by this defendant when he gave the boy money and sweets.” The court heard the victim was left feeling angry and began taking drugs and self-harming. Delroy Henry, mitigating, said a custodial sentence will have a significant impact on the defendant. He added Clark, formerly of Cameron Walk, Stone, has health issues and has resigned himself to the likelihood he will spend the rest of his days in custody. Judge David Fletcher also made Clark the subject of a five year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which prevents him living with a male under 16 or having unsupervised contact with a boy under 16. Judge Fletcher said: “You took the boy into your home and you took him out in your car. It was those places where the offences occurred. “You gave him cigarettes and sweets by way of some form of inducement. “Matters came to a head when you suggested he pose for a friend of your’s wearing only underwear. At that point he started to realise things were not as they should be.” The judge said the victim was embarrassed when giving evidence at the trial. Judge Fletcher added: “You have got away with your offending behaviour for decades and now the moment of reckoning has arrived. The blighted life of your victim is something I will and do take into account.