Bradford soap opera director sent sexual messages to teenagers

Ms Embleton said that during the conversation the defendant asked the boy about his sexuality, including whether he had slept naked, and told him he had seen another boy in underwear.

In a victim impact statement, the boy said he had ambitions to become an actor and that was why he sent Salisbury a message.

“I looked up to people in the industry like Lee, but now I find it hard to trust what they say and do,” he said.

“None of this would have happened if it hadn't been for Lee. It made me angry.”

David Outterside, representing Salisbury, said his client wanted to apologize profusely and was “appalled” by his conduct.

He said Salisbury was suffering from the end of his marriage at the time and his long-standing cocaine addiction, for which he has since sought treatment, had worsened.

In addition to the suspended sentence, the judge, Recorder Abdul Iqbal KC, ordered Salisbury to complete 150 hours of unpaid community service and 20 days of rehabilitation activity.

Salisbury, who has no previous convictions, is also banned from working with children and vulnerable adults and must follow a sexual violence prevention order for the next five years.

His name will be placed on the sex offenders' register for ten years and he will have to pay the victim £2,000 plus £1,000 in legal costs.

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