A disgraced lawyer has been jailed after he boasted about sexually abusing a child. 

Stuart Cottis, 48, of Rufford Street, Kings Cross, was a solicitor who worked for well-known London firms for many years. 

In March last year Cottis was arrested after police discovered he had been engaging in online conversations about the sexual abuse of young children with other adult men as well as underage boys. 

Prosecutor Timothy Forster said that in the messages Cottis boasted about, planned and fantasised about the sexual abuse of young children.

The messages included claims that he had sexually assaulted a boy known to him.

When he was arrested Cottis told police he was glad he was caught before he went on to commit contact offences. 

Last November Cottis was jailed for three years for a number of offences relating to engaging in sexual conversations with children. 

He was sentenced on the basis that his “boasting” about sexually assaulting a child was just fantasy but it has now been revealed that Cottis committed sexual offences against two children in person. 

After he pleaded guilty to further charges of sexual assault and sexual communication with children of primary school age Cottis appeared at Southwark Crown Court for sentencing for a second time on October 1. 

Sean Sullivan, defending, said the offences took place when Cottis was out of work, depressed and drinking. 

He added that most of the messages sent by Cottis were bravado and fantasy. 

Stuart CottisStuart Cottis (Image: Met Police) Sentencing Cottis, Judge Sally-Ann Hales KC said: “You have an admitted sexual interest in young children, which you acted on in the case of two young children. Your behaviour was only curbed by your arrest.” 

Cottis was sentenced to 10 months in prison, to be served on top of his three-year sentence. 

He is already subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order that will be in place for 11 years.