A RESPECTED music teacher is behind bars after admitting seven sex offences against a young girl. Philip Welton, who taught pupils in Highworth and around Swindon for many years, was jailed for four years at Swindon Crown Court.

Judge Thomas Longbotham heard that Welton knew he was doing wrong and prayed while he was carrying out his assaults on his frightened victim.

His secret only came out months after the attacks ceased when the girl told her mother why she didn't like him.

Prosecutor Lyn Matthews said when police questioned him he said he felt guilty because the Bible taught sex outside marriage was wrong.

When asked why he had stopped he said it was because he was granted deliverance.

Welton, 46, of Lismore Road, Highworth, pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault and two of inciting an act of gross indecency. All but one of the charges were specimen. Two similar offences were left on file.

The assaults began when the girl was around nine and were carried in the space of two years between December 2000 and 2002.

In mitigation Robin Shellard said that in his interview with police Welton acknowledged what he had done was wrong according to God's will and in the eyes of the law.

He wanted to apologise to the girl and to make sure that she was all right.

If Welton had been a predatory paedophile he would have had ample opportunities to abuse other children, but the abuse had been directed at one victim.

"He has had over many, many years, access to children and nothing has happened."

One of the two character references put before the judge came from the parent of one of his former pupils.

Mr Shellard explained Welton, a man with no previous convictions, had suffered a brain injury when he was younger and had psychiatric problems with periods of remission for the past 20 years. In 2002 he was prescribed new medication, his condition improved and the abuse stopped.

Judge Longbotham told Welton a psychiatric report described him as liable to have uncontrollable outbursts of violence or anger and in the forensic psychiatrist's opinion he represented a significant risk to children.

He also displayed little or no victim empathy or understanding and tended to put his own needs for control and sexual gratification above the needs of others.

The judge ordered him to serve an extra two years on top of the ordinary licence period when he is released.

He also disqualified Welton from working with children and directed that he should be put on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

Tina Clarke