A BOYS' Brigade leader who sexually abused a 12-year-old 20 years ago was jailed for a year yesterday as police warned other perverts they could not hide from justice.

George Alan Marshall, 62, who was the leader of the Boys Brigade Ist Company at The Headland in Hartlepool in the 1970s and 80s, was also ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years and banned from working with children for life.

Marshall was convicted at Teesside Crown Court last month of three indecent assaults on a 12-year-old boy between August and December 1984, and returned yesterday to be sentenced.

Two assaults occurred at Marshall's home when he spanked the boy and rubbed cream into his private parts, said Sarah Mallett, prosecuting.

The first assault was when Marshall drove him to a track near Hart village and told him to remove his trousers.

The boy made sure that he was never again left alone with Marshall and, when he heard that another youngster had made a complaint against Marshall, he came forward.

Marshall had been convicted in 1987 of indecently assaulting two more boys, when he was given a three-month jail sentence suspended for two years.

Robin Denny, representing Marshall, said: "He is maintaining his innocence and he has a great deal of support from friends.

"He has already been punished when matters came out in 1986 and 1987, and there is not a hint of any offending since 1986.

"He has done a great deal for children since this and there is not the slightest hint of any offending against him."

Judge David Bryant told Marshall that his offences were serious and there was a danger that he might be tempted to become involved with children again.

The judge said: "It is obvious that these offences were now committed a very long time ago, but they remain serious offences against a boy and it is clear that they remain with that victim now many years later."

Marshall, of Sinclair Road, Hartlepool, was likely to lose his home and his possessions, said Mr Denny.

Detective Constable Stephen Yates, of Hartlepool CID, said after the case: "I hope it sends a message to anyone who committed offences decades ago that the police will catch up with them and bring them to justice, and imprisonment may subsequently follow."