A WELL-KNOWN York ghost walk leader has been convicted of a sex offence involving a 15-year-old girl.

Andrew Auster, 59 was unanimously found guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court yesterday on one charge of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, in which he was said to have allowed her to put her hand on his crotch area over his clothes.

He was cleared by the jury of a second charge of sexual activity with a child in which it was alleged he touched and kissed her breast after she removed her bra on one occasion.

The eight man four woman jury heard during the trial that Auster got to know the girl in 2014 while promoting his Ghost walk business in the centre of the city.

He has been running such walks for around 20 years, taking people to places which are supposed to be haunted, and during which he leads them in a top hat and Victorian Coat.

The prosecution said the girl developed a crush on Auster in spite of the age gap and they exchanged numerous texts as well as meeting together in August, 2014, usually after his walks finished.

Auster, of Main Street, Newton-upon-Derwent, denied anything sexual happened between him and the teenager and said he felt fatherly towards her.

He maintained their friendship was spiritual and denied feeling any sexual desires for her.

Recorder Kate Tulk agreed to a defence request to adjourn for a pre-sentence report and a date was fixed for that hearing on January 13 next year at Bradford Crown Court.

She told Auster: “The jury have found you guilty on count one of the indictment, it will fall to me in due course to sentence you for that, but bearing in mind you have no previous convictions it is appropriate I have a pre-sentence report before I do that.”

He was ordered to register with the police as a sex offender and told him: “The period for which that will apply will depend on the sentence in due course.”

She told the jury if they wished to know the outcome of the case they could attend or contact the court.