A GYM worker who sexually abused his nephew has been jailed for four years.

Mark Balcombe, 43, repeatedly volunteered to babysit Stephen Santouris when he was a teenager so he could groom the youngster before molesting him.

Then, at around the time of his 18th birthday, Balcombe took Stephen to the gym where he worked and abused him.

Balcombe, of Marlborough Road in Ilfracombe, but formerly of Soudley in the Forest of Dean, pleaded guilty to four counts of indecency with a child and three indecent assaults between 1998 and 2000 at Swindon Crown Court. He also admitted one charge of making an indecent photograph of a child and another of showing an indecent image of a child.

Brendan Moorhouse, for the prosecution, told the court how Balcombe used to help his sister by babysitting Stephen, who is now 27 and lives in Cheltenham.But he took advantage of being alone with the youngster and started wrestling matches which led to indecent assaults. There were other assaults as well, one of which occurred when Stephen was staying with his grandparents.

Garth Richardson, defending, said the pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service showed his client had accepted his wrongdoing.

"He now wishes to apologise to Mr Santouris for all the hurt and mental pain he has caused him," he said.

Judge Douglas Field said: "I have read that he had been very adversely affected by the case.

"Those effects will be long-lasting, perhaps lifelong."

As well as jailing him, the judge banned Balcombe from working with children or other vulnerable groups and told him he must register as a sex offender for life. The judge also imposed a sexual offences prevention order restricting Balcombe's liberty when he is released from custody.

Stephen, who waived his right to anonymity in the hope his story would encourage victims of sexual abuse to step forward, said he welcomed the sentence. Most people in my position don't really get an opportunity to face their abusers," he said.

"I feel extremely blessed. This feels like the end of this part of the journey, but there is a long way to go still for me.

"Waiving my anonymity was a huge decision, but I know it was 100 per cent the right one.

"Other people choose to lock it up inside, and that's fine – it is a decision victims have to come to by themselves.

"Hopefully this will help other victims."