A FORMER Devizes mayor who is dying of cancer was convicted of a string of child sex offences today.

Timothy Price, who was Devizes mayor in 2000, sexually abused a Durrington boy repeatedly between 1974, when the boy was nine, and 1979.

Price, 57, of Waiblingen Way, was found guilty of four counts of indecent assault and one of indecency with a child at Salisbury Crown Court.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, broke a 34-year silence when he confronted his abuser by email in August 2013.

Price, who has terminal prostate cancer, had denied all the charges.

He must now wait four weeks to be sentenced while medical reports are prepared.

Prosecuting, Andrew Houston told the opening day of the trial on Monday that Price first made the boy touch him, then moved on to touching him and coercing him to engage in a sex act.

He said the boy had tried to tell family members but the shame had made him clam up. He had not even told his wife, the court heard.

Mr Houston told the jury the alleged victim finally emailed Price on August 3, 2013, after learning that he had terminal prostate cancer. 

In the email, Mr Houston told the court, the complainant said the abuse had haunted him for years and that he needed closure before it was too late.

The email read: “You made my life hell by asking me and making me do things an adult should never ask a child to do. The nightmares are always there and never go away.

“I can see what you did was grooming and you subjected me to years of sexual abuse. I remember never wanting to do this and you convincing me that I should. It fills me with absolute revulsion. It makes me want to go and be sick.

“Even now I feel I should keep quiet – admitting it makes me feel dirty and ashamed.

“I think the shame should be yours to face. If you are man enough, as I have to, every day for the rest of my life. The shame is awful. I have spent my life trying to block it out.”

Mr Houston said Price replied just over an hour later with the subject “My crimes”.

He claims the email said: “I suppose I always knew the day would come. Of course I bitterly regret my sexual abuse of you over many years and in no way should you feel it was anyone’s fault but mine. Of course I apologise for my crimes. I hope that helps in some way.

“You were my only victim.

“I make no excuses for my predations. I took advantage of you for my own depraved sexual satisfaction.”

Mr Houston said: “This was a full and frank confession.

“We say this defendant immediately acknowledged his guilt, immediately admitted his guilt.”

Despite the email Price denied all the charges.

Defending, Stephen Dent claimed the victim was only seeking compensation, and was getting his own back on Price for bullying him as a child.

He claimed his client’s email was “complete fiction” designed to tell the victim “what he wanted to hear” to stop him going to the police.

The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on each count.