A victim of sexual abuse took eight years to summon up the courage to tell his partner what had happened to him as a boy, Southampton Crown Court heard.

The youngster, who had been abused in a sauna and an office, told police he had been scared and didn’t know how to stop it, said prosecutor Rob Welling.

In an impact statement, the youngster said the historic events had affected relationships with people and he had suffered bullying at school which he attributed to the abuse.

He still suffered flashbacks and was undergoing counselling.

“The effects on me will never go away,” he said.

Robert Babey, 65, of no fixed abode, admitted one multiple incident count of indecent assault and was jailed for 30 months.

The court heard he had previous convictions for similar offences.