A man who told a court he was sexually abused by a former Catholic school caretaker says he cannot bring himself to tell his own children.

At the age of ten, the man was abused by John Bumstead, 69, of Harold Road, Hastings, who was jailed at Hove Crown Court on Tuesday for three years.

Despite finding the courage to tell a room full of strangers about his suffering, he has only told one other person of his ordeal.

The reason for his silence is that he does not think it would be fair on his children.

He said: "No one else, apart from an ex-wife, knows about it. I have not told my own two children.

"They are grown-up now but it is still something I cannot tell them. They have their own children and it would not be fair on them.

"How would they feel hearing that their dad was abused when he was ten?"

As a boy, the man tried to seek help from leaders of the Catholic community but was told he was telling "wicked" lies and should go to confession.

He said: "When I reported it they did not believe me and the shutters went down.

"I did not know who to turn to so I closed it off for all those years. I used to do a lot of drinking where I had it in the back of my mind.

"It was always there just causing problems up until the point when I saw him again."

The man, now in his 50s, keeps in touch with one of his ex-wives who has been his rock ever since he decided to finally report the matter.

She revealed how the abuse had affected their marriage.

She said: "Throughout, I just felt he was completely emotionally detached.

"He is one of the nicest men I have ever met but was so closed up about feelings. When he told me what had happened he was in such a state.

"He is quite a macho person and it was very hard for him to stand up and say what he told the court. I have the greatest admiration for him."

The spur for reporting the abuse to police came when he happened to see his abuser in the street.

He said: "I thought 'Oh my God, that is him, the man who assaulted me'. He did not seem to know who I was."

Seven months later the man, who cannot be identified, was sobbing in court as his tormentor was led away to the cells.

Bumstead, who worked at a school in Sussex, was found guilty of two charges of buggery and one of indecent assault.

He admitted two further counts of indecent assault.

He said: "It had been hell living with this all these years. To think he put me through all that pain and suffering and he did not stand up in court and say sorry makes me feel really bitter.

"But now the court case is over I feel 100 per cent better knowing that man is locked up and not going to be a nuisance to the community.

"He is paying for what he did. Since telling the police I have been going to counselling and that has helped me. Up until yesterday I was always wondering if I would be believed.

"As far as I was concerned I was just an innocent schoolboy and he was someone in a position of trust. He took away my innocence."

As well as the prison sentence, Bumstead will remain on the Sex Offenders Register for the rest of his life.