A former volunteer at a centre for LGBT people has been jailed after attacking a ‘vulnerable’ teenager he met there.
Edgar Steele repeatedly preyed on the boy at the 62 year-old’s then-flat in Glasgow’s Pollokshields.
The crimes occurred between June 2000 and June 2003.
On Wednesday, Steele was jailed for six years having earlier been convicted of indecent assault.
He had denied the allegations during a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
Judge Alistair Watson said Steele had abused his position of trust at the LGBT centre in the city, which helped youngsters struggling with identity issues.
This included the victim in this case.
Judge Watson told Steele: “He was vulnerable and then became homeless.
“You exploited the situation to take advantage of his vulnerability for your own satisfaction.
“It is obvious from the nature of the charge that this conduct would likely have had a high degree of harm.”
He said he had read a “moving” impact statement from the victim before sentencing.
The judge went on: “One can only say it is a tribute to him that, despite what you did, he has gone on to make an impressive contribution to society.
“He has not been defined by your abusive behaviour.”
Steele, now of the city’s Queen’s Park, will also be supervised for a further three years on his release.
He was placed on the sex offenders list indefinitely and has been banned from working with young or vulnerable people again.
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