A trial heard how the youngster's grandfather found him with his trousers down on a bed, with Martin Bell beside him.

But the grandfather, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was not in court on Thursday to see justice done. He died several weeks ago from a long-standing heart condition.

The grandson did not have to give evidence either — because lawyers had agreed in advance that the account he gave to police of Bell "playing with his bum" was true.

The trial also heard that when Bell (19), was quizzed by detectives he told them: "I was caught doing something I should not have been doing, fiddling with someone.

"I was playing with a young boy's private parts."

Bell also admitted that he had been subjecting the little boy to years of sexual abuse.

And at the High Court in Edinburgh last Thursday a jury found him guilty of a catalogue of indecent acts at an address in Fife and in nearby woods between June 2001, when the boy had almost reached his third birthday, and June 2007.

Bell, giving evidence, insisted that no sodomy had ever taken place and defence advocate Mark Moir pointed out that the boy had not mentioned such an act when he spoke to police, in spite of being very clear about other things that had happened.

Bell claimed that he had been confused and nervous when questioned by detectives and an apparent admission he had made was not true.

But the jury rejected his story, by majority, and found him guilty of sodomy.

Mr Moir said unemployed Bell, formerly from Falkland, had been trying to get a college place to train as a teacher and had never been in trouble before.

Judge Colin MacAulay QC called for background reports and told Bell: "A custodial sentence is inevitable."

After hearing that Bell was staying in a hostel in Kirkcaldy, run by social workers with CCTV surveillance and wardens, the judge allowed him to remain on bail and ordered him to return to court next month.
Bell's name has also been added to the sex offenders' register.