A MAN who sexually molested a schoolboy after locking him in the beer cellar was today starting a 16-month jail term.

John Colbeck, 43, had looked at a gay website with his frightened victim and given him alcohol before taking advantage of him.

Colbeck lived at the Punch Bowl pub, Earby, where his partner was the landlord, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Colbeck, whose victim later suffered nightmares and required medication, had earlier admitted sexually activity with a child under 16 and sexual activity in front of a child, on June 23.

Colbeck, of Chapel Street, Nelson, was put on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years and disqualified from working with children.

He was also made the subject of a Sex Offences Prevention Order.

Silvia Dacre, prosecuting, said Colbeck gave his victim a pint of beer and the pair looked at a gay website on a computer.

The defendant made inappropriate comments and the boy asked to look at the beer cellar.

Miss Dacre said Colbeck and the victim went into the cellar alone.

The door was bolted and the defendant committed a sex act in front of the child and performed another indecent act with the boy.

The schoolboy did not consent and later told police he did not like it, was a bit frightened about what might develop and thought about hitting the defendant.

After what happened, the boy suffered nightmares and did not want the same thing to happen to anybody else.

Michael Murray, defending, said that at the time, Colbeck had been drinking heavily.

An opportunity presented itself to him when he was in a fragile and emotional state. It was out of character.

Colbeck was thoroughly ashamed. There was no suggestion he had targeted anybody before this incident or since.

He had pleaded guilty and shown remorse.