A Hove man has been jailed for sexual assaults on a teenage boy more than ten years ago.
David Cager, 61, of Old Shoreham Road, Hove, appeared at Hove Crown Court today (Friday 22 May) and was sentenced to a total of nine years.
He was convicted last month of 13 counts on unanimous verdicts by a jury at the same court.
The offences covered the period from September 2003 to November 2004, all against the same boy, then aged between 14 and 15, Sussex Police said.
He was convicted of indecent assault, sexual activity with a child, gross indecency with a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
He was also served with a sexual harm prevention order for life, severely restricting his access to children, and will be a registered sex offender also for life.
Detective Constable Duncan Chalmers, of the Brighton Safeguarding Investigations Unit, said: “Cager worked at the time as an emergency out of hours officer for Brighton and Hove City Council, at the council depot in Upper Hollingdean Road, Brighton.
“He invited the victim there where he groomed him with gifts and money in exchange for sexually abusing him there. Abuse also took place at Cager’s home.”
After Cager was sentenced council chief executive Penny Thompson said: “This is a truly shocking case and I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to those affected.
“I am pleased with this conviction and would like to thank the police for all their hard work.
“David Cager worked in our highways department as an out of hours officer, did not ordinarily have contact with children and his post did not require a CRB check.
“We suspended and then dismissed him in 2012 and have co-operated fully with the police throughout its investigation.
“We are reviewing the full history of his employment and I plan to satisfy myself that lessons learnt from this case have been acted on across the council.
“Support is being offered to all staff affected by this court case.”
