A HOLYWELL man convicted of sexually assaulting a boy under the age of 16 will not be sent to jail because of ill health.

Peter Darke, 74, and of Bryn Gwynt in Holywell, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Wednesday where he faced six counts of indecent assault.

However, Recorder Gregory Bull told the court that despite sentencing guidelines advising him to send Darke to prison, the physical and mental condition of the defendant instead guided him towards a suspended sentence.

Darke was given an 18-month sentence – suspended for two years – and placed on the sex offenders register for ten years.

Sentencing Darke, Recorder Bull said: “The jury convicted you of four offences of indecently assaulting a boy under the age of 16 and they are very serious offences.

“They are made worse that you already had convictions for assaulting young girls.”

Recorder Bull added: “I would have jailed you had these come to court years before and you hadn’t been suffering from the mental conditions you are.

“I am not given much help by the sentencing guidelines.”