A FORMER Camp America youth leader has been jailed after an illicit affair with a 13-year-old Bury boy.

Loner Mark Grundy’s sexual relationship with the youngster only came to light when he bragged about it in an email to a fellow youth leader in Sweden. She alerted a friend in the UK who in turn contacted the police. When confronted by officers at his former home in Brookshaw Street, Bury, 20-year-old Grundy said: “I’m gay. Am I going to prison?”

Bolton Crown Court heard how Grundy was a friend of the boy’s older brother and regularly visited their home. The victim’s parents considered Grundy to be a loner and accepted him as part of their family.

However, towards the end of last year, Grundy began to develop a friendship with the then 12-year-old boy which became sexual. Over the course of the next few months, on several occasions each week, Grundy touched the boy’s genitals and then performed sex acts on each other. The victim’s parents and a close family friend became concerned about Grundy’s closeness to the boy and warned him off. They were unaware, however, of the true extent of Grundy’s physical relationship with their son.

After receiving copies of Grundy’s email from Sweden, police called at the victim’s home and confronted the youngster about his relationship with the youth leader. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denied the relationship but tipped off Grundy that officers were coming round to his house. It was then that Grundy admitted he was gay.

During interviews, Grundy gave a frank and candid description of his relationship with the youngster and claimed he was “in love” and besotted by the boy. He admitted performing a sex act on the boy and also allowing the boy to perform a sex act on himself.

Police also uncovered a series of computer images of the boy in a state of undress and other children downloaded from the internet.

After being charged with a number of sex offences, Grundy broke his bail conditions by attempting to contact the boy and he was remanded in custody.

At an earlier hearing, Grundy pleaded guilty to five charges of having sexual activity with a child, two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity as well as four offences relating to the taking, making and possessing indecent images.

Mr Jonathan Dickinson, prosecuting, said: “These are specimen charges which demonstrate the escalation in the seriousness of the offences.”

Grundy was described as a “lonely, awkward and immature” young man who was “victim specific” and no danger to other children.

Sentencing Grundy to a total of four years and 10 months for all the offences, Judge Elliot Knopf said: “What is clear to be is that you exploited the boy for your own satisfaction.”

Grundy was ordered to spend half his sentence in prison, less the four months he had already served on remand, and the remainder on licence. He was also ordered to be put on the sex offenders register for life.