An 82-year-old man has been jailed after he was convicted of a number of non-recent sex offences against a boy.

The offences all occurred in the 1980s when Brian Rutledge, of St Georges Walk, Gosport, Hampshire, was a parish priest at a church in Reading.

He set up and ran a number of clubs for boys, and the victim, who was 15 at the time, was a member of one of these groups.

During a stay at Rutledge’s home, the 15-year-old was sexually abused and raped.

Rutledge told the victim not to tell anyone about what had happened, saying that keeping it as a secret was good practice for when he became a priest.

The boy had woken to find Rutledge sitting on his bed and he told the victim that he had been “chosen” before climbing into bed with him.

He was so traumatised by the assault, he gave up any thought of entering priesthood.

Brian Rutledge, aged 82, of St Georges Walk, Gosport, Hampshire, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict of two counts of indecent assault on a boy under 16 and one count of buggery with a boy under 16 following a trial at Reading Crown Court which concluded on Friday (May 21).

He was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment

Investigating Officer Detective Constable Neil Callaway of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit based at Reading police station, said: “What Rutledge did was a complete abuse of his position within the Catholic church and the local community.

“He had no concern for his victim, only for his own gratification.

“He is now in prison where he belongs.

“The victim in this case has shown incredible strength and bravery in speaking about what happened to him, and I would like to thank him for doing so.

“This conviction shows that when victims come forward and report crimes such as these, they will be believed, and no matter what the passage of time, they will get justice.”