[Ammi]

Bennett had 'clean criminal record'

Judge Martin Hurst says: "Children of 13 were probably not called as witnesses then.

"I think a child of 13/14 probably would have been competent. It would have been before my time. I expect it would have been unusual even then."

In mitigation Tom Walkling states Bennett has an otherwise clean criminal record and has a number of health issues, likely down to his industrial employment.