A Jehovah's Witness sexually abused two young girls he met at their place of worship when he was a teenager.

Milnsbridge man Richard Heeson has avoided jail after the non-recent sexual abuse of the girls he met at Kingdom Hall.

Leeds Crown Court heard Heeson's father was an elder within the church and one of the victims was afraid the abuse would be covered up if she spoke out.

Heeson used computer games and photos of women in magazines to groom the first young girl before laying on top of her and rubbing himself against her.

The girl told her parents and her father spoke to Heeson's father. The abuse then stopped.

A few years later, Heeson began abusing an even younger girl who he had also bribed with computer games.

He asked her to touch him and he performed a sex act on her.

The court was told she was left confused and embarrassed by the abuse and was afraid the church would cover it up if she spoke out.

But she eventually contacted police because she could no longer cope with what had happened to her.

The woman now suffers with anxiety and depression as a result of the offending and it has affected her relationships with others.

In his police interview, Heeson denied the abuse.

The 34-year-old dad, of Savile Court, later pleaded guilty to six counts of indecent assault and two counts of indecency with a child.

He has no previous convictions.

The court was told that he poses no risk to his own children.

On Monday, Judge Robin Mairs told the court: "This is a very difficult sentencing exercise."

He said the effect on the victims was potentially lifelong but Heeson was a child at the time of the offences, had shown remorse and had to be given credit for his guilty pleas.

The judge told Heeson: "I say this not with a sectarian view, but the scriptures clearly did impact on you and left you immature and perhaps with a distorted view of sexual behaviour."

Heeson was handed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, with requirements to complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 250 hours of unpaid work.

He was placed on the sex offender register for 10 years.