A pervert who abused a vulnerable young boy at a Kirklees residential school has escaped having his five-year sentence increased at the Court of Appeal.

Peter Denton, 64, targeted the youngster while working as principal residential child welfare officer at the school.

In May, he was jailed after he was convicted at Leeds Crown Court of five indecent assaults and assault causing actual bodily harm.

The case was back in court after a bid to increase the term, but although top judges said Denton had got off lightly, the sentence was upheld.

Giving judgment, Lord Justice Davis told the Court of Appeal in London that the sentence was “lenient”, but not “unduly lenient”.

The court heard Denton, now of Scotland Gate, Choppington, Northumberland, had targeted the boy from the age of eight.

He was sent to live at the school due to problems at home but was instead preyed upon by predatory Denton, who used and abused him.

It began with a punch to the stomach, but became sexual, with Denton indecently touching the boy and performing oral sex on him.

The offending came to light decades later when the by then fully grown victim spoke to police.

Denton was quizzed by officers in 2015, said he could remember the boy, but denied any wrongdoing.

Today, the case reached the Court of Appeal as solicitor general Robert Buckland QC asked top judges to increase the sentence.

Representing Mr Buckland, barrister Paul Jarvis said five years was appropriate for one serious assault, but not the catalogue of offending Denton had committed.

But Lord Justice Davis, sitting with Mr Justice Phillips and Judge Mark Brown, refused to increase Denton’s punishment.

“This sentence was indeed a lenient sentence, perhaps a very lenient sentence,” he said.

“But we are not prepared to say this was an unduly lenient sentence.”