TWO sex fiend brothers who went to a Worcester church to "confess their sins" have been jailed for sex offences against children.

Clive Milton, aged 46, of Wells Road, Worcester, was jailed for a total of 18 years for a series of offences against a boy under 13 and a girl under 16.

His older brother, Roy Milton, aged 50, of no fixed address, was jailed for 10 years for offences involving two young girls - one of them the same girl abused by his brother.

Clive Milton was not in court to hear the sentencing as he was taken ill on his way to prison on remand after being convicted the previous day.

He was detained in hospital and sentenced in his absence by Judge Michael Cullum.

The judge also lifted reporting restrictions on Roy Milton's trial, which had taken place earlier but could not be reported until both cases had been concluded.

During Clive Milton's trial, a jury at Worcester Crown Court heard that the brothers had joined the Consuming Fires Ministry, based in Worcester, in late 2011.

The judge said the brothers had gone to church to "confess their sins".

They had counselling from pastor Geraint Hill and his wife Debra and both said they had committed terrible acts and went to police following encouragement from the Hills.
Investigations followed but the Miltons later denied their confessions.

In Roy Milton's trial, the jury of three men and nine women were unanimous in their findings on seven charges of indecency with a child, eight of indecent assault and one of sexual activity with a child in the late 1990s.

Clive Milton was found guilty of four counts of indecent assault, two of indecency with a child and one of rape against his girl victim and was given a total of eight years.

He was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault and four rape offences and was given a total of 10 years consecutive, making a total of 18 years.

The offences took place against the girl between 1998 and 2000 when she was 13 and 14. He was unaware at the time she had also been abused by his brother, the court heard.

The boy was assaulted between 1986 and 1991 up to the age of 12. He was raped between three and 10 times over a three-year period from the age of 10.

Clive Milton was found guilty unanimously on all counts by the jury of seven men and five women.

Mark Heywood, prosecuting, told the jury the boy had been assaulted on visits to the bedsit Clive Milton lived in at the time in Worcester and at another address in the city.

He was given sweets if he went along with what was asked of him and corroborated his story by identifying a physical abnormality of his attacker's genitals. The judge said the boy victim, now in his thirties, had described Clive Milton's behaviour as like "rewarding a dog with treats".

As part of his abuse of the girl, Clive Milton had played spin-the-bottle games when she was aged 13 or 14 and the dares had become sexual in nature, the jury heard.

He raped her when she was aged 14.

Both victims had finally found the courage to speak about what had happened to them and the abuse had had profound effects on their lives, the judge said.

Lynette McClement, defending Clive Milton, said he had been abused himself as a child and, though this was no excuse, it could be part of an explanation for his behaviour.

Clive Milton was said to be in poor health with angina, epilepsy and diabetes. He had an angina attack during the trial and had a fit on his way to prison, possibly as a result of his other ailments.

Six charges against him of sexual offences involving another girl were not proceeded with and ordered to lie on the file.