A Jehovah's Witness has admitted sexually abusing a young boy from the age of seven.

Thomas Gold, 45, abused the child over a period of seven years at an address in Clackmannanshire. The abuse began with a kiss on the boy's mouth, and became more sexual as the youngster got older.

On one occasion there was "unnatural carnal connection" between them. The High Court in Glasgow heard that the boy trusted the accused and thought the relationship was normal when he was a child, but questioned it when he reached his late teens.

It came to light after the boy, also a Jehovah's witness, spoke to church elders about it. Advocate depute Alison Di Rollo said: "By the time he was 19 he had started to realise that his feeling for the accused was wrong.

"He approached elders at his church and told them and they said it was wrong and that if it continued he would have to be disfellowshipped by the church.

"He has been seeing a psychiatrist in relation to suicidal thoughts and depression."

The court heard that the complainer continued to visit Gold and had sex with him until last September. On Tuesday, Gold admitted using lewd, libidinous and indecent practices towards the boy on various occasions between November 14 1996 and November 13 2003.

Lord Bannatyne deferred sentence until September 7 and ordered him to be placed on the sex offenders register.