October 2007 Pervert jailed for indecent assault A PAEDOPHILE who groomed an 11-year-old boy before indecently assaulting him has been jailed indefinitely. But Michael Martin, who has a history of child abuse and was convicted of failing to comply with the conditions of the sex offenders’ register a few weeks before the latest incident, could be out in a year if a parole board is satisfied that he is not a danger to the public. Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how the 48-year-old befriended the family of the victim telling them his name was Paul. Over a period of time, Mr Meeke said, the lad did odd jobs for the pervert and was rewarded with cash. On a day in late August, Martin invited the lad into his home where he showed him a picture of naked people on a mobile phone before carrying out the indecent assault. Mr Meeke said he indecently touched the boy over his clothing and the lad got up and left. The boy fled home in an extremely distressed state and told his mum what had happened. When questioned Martin told police he had “kept his urges under control for some time,” said Mr Meeke, saying that day was the moment he thought he would “try it on.” The court heard that Martin was jailed for 18 months in Scotland in the early 1980s for a series of indecent assaults on three boys aged eight to 13-years-old. He was jailed for six months two years later by magistrates in Swindon after befriending another young boy through his parents. In 1996 he was convicted of similar offences at Edinburgh and two years later at Cupar Sheriff court he was convicted of performing a sex act on a 15-year-old boy. He was then convicted in Swindon of failing to comply with the notification requirement of the sex offenders’ register. Martin, of Lennox Drive, Walcot, admitted one charge of sexual assault. Joanna Lewis, defending, said that her client had admitted what he had one as soon as he was confronted by the police. The indecent assault itself was not the worst of its kind, she said, but she accepted it was made worse by the grooming that led up to it. She said that Martin had an abusive childhood and then his marriage collapsed and he turned to drink and drugs. Recorder Stewart Jones QC imposed imprisonment for the public protection with a tariff of 12 months which he must serve before he can be considered for parole. He must also register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and be subject to a sexual offences prevention order restricting his liberty.