A MAN has been jailed for four and a half years for raping a 13-year-old boy at holiday park in Saltcoats.

Martin Westwood, 38, from Birmingham, England, admitted the offence which took place at Sandylands Holiday Park, on August 3, last year.

Judge Lord Matthews told Westwood, who appeared at the High Court in Glasgow via a video link: “You pled guilty to a quite disgusting offence the oral rape of a 13-year-old boy.

“If you had gone to trial you would have been jailed for six years.”

The court heard that that Westwood, who was staying at the holiday park, was drunk when the rape took place.

The terrified boy told police he thought about screaming and eventually managed to run away from Westwood.

The boy told his mother what had happened and the police were contacted.

Prosecutor Stewart Ronnie said: "The complainer was highly distressed when speaking to his mother. She observed he was shaking and upset."

A forensic examination of Westwood's clothing revealed that the boy's DNA was on the inside front of his underwear.

Defence counsel Sean Templeton said: “Mr Westwood has no memory of the offence at all because of alcohol.

“He has not had a drink since the incident. He does feel remorse for what took place.”

Westwood, who has 27 previous convictions in England for dishonesty and road traffic offences, was placed on the sex offenders' register.