A PAEDOPHILE dad who molested his two sons and their friend could not be sentenced yesterday as the judge was ill.

The man, 70s, who we are not naming in order to protect the identity of his victims, was found guilty earlier this month of sexual assault.

Jurors heard he had touched the boys’ private parts as they lay in bed. The youngsters, now grown men, were aged between 12 and 16 when the abuse took place in the 1990s.

Trial judge Recorder Barry McElduff put off sentencing the man until March 20 so victim statements could be obtained from the men. He said: “It will inevitably be a prison sentence of some length, given the fact there are three complainants and the effect it has had on them.”

Sentencing had to put off again to a date to be fixed as Recorder McElduff could not attend court.

Recorder William Mousley QC, formerly chairman of the Western Circuit, appeared in his stead.

Asked by one advocate if his fellow judge was on the mend he implied Recorder McElduff was just going down with something.