A MAN accused of a string of incident assault charges against a child has been found guilty.

A jury took 11 hours to convict Paul Douglas Kelly of a number of historical sexual assaults involving a boy under the age of 14.

The 56-year-old defendant, from Barrow, was convicted of the offences following a trial at Preston Crown Court.

The court heard he sexually assaulted the boy in the 1980s.

Giving evidence, the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court how he was made to perform sexual acts on Kelly.

He said: “I did not know it was wrong what he was doing as he made it seem normal, like a game."

“He said not to tell people and it was our secret.

“I did not know any different.

“He got me to perform these acts but I did not know how to do it because I’m not gay and I don’t fancy men.

“He used to get me to touch him.

“He used to touch me but he would get annoyed because I did not like it."

The victim told the court he had used drugs in the past to deal with trauma.

Kelly denied six counts of indecent assault on a boy under 14 and three counts of attempts to incite a boy under the age of 14 into an act of indecency.

He was found guilty on all the counts he faced.

During cross-examination, Kelly told the court the victim had made 'false allegations' against him.

When asked, 'did you touch him?', 'did you make him touch you?' and 'did you make him perform sexual acts on you', the defendant responded: "No I did not."

Kelly went on to say he was telling the truth when he told police that he had no idea what the victim looked like.

The defendant is due to be sentenced at the same court on January 22.