The married father-of-two had denied the incident but was yesterday found guilty by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court, after a four-day trial.

Jack, 38, has now been warned he could be jailed when he returns to the court for sentencing next month.

The court heard how Jack molested the teenager during a night-time walk on Cleadon Hills on October 3.

Prosecutor Julie Clemitson told the jury: "While walking and talking in the dark he took advantage of the situation, and chanced his arm, perhaps."

The teenager was not in court, but gave his evidence via a television link.

He said: "I kept telling him to stop it and get off and he kept asking why?".

Jack, who worked as a taxi driver for 20 years and once owned his own South Shields-based firm, denied sexual assault throughout the trial, and claimed it was the teenager who came on to him.

Miss Clemitson said: "Mr Jack felt sorry for him because he appeared to be friendless and confused.

"Mr Jack said it was the teenager who made all the inappropriate and unwanted sexual contact with him.

"The issue for you, the jury, is can you be satisfied the complainant is correct when he tells you it was Stephen Jack who initiated this, who touched him when he did not want it, or might Mr Jack have been telling the truth, and might it have been the other way around?"

Jack, who has no previous convictions, told the court how, over the past two decades, he has regularly been vetted by the authorities to enable him to keep his licence as a cabbie.

It was suspended as soon as the police investigation came to light, and has since expired.

Defence barrister David Robson QC asked Jack: "Did you try to lure him to the hills so you could sexually have your way with him?"

Jack, who denied being attracted to men, replied: "No, that was not the case at all."

After four and a half hours' deliberation, jurors convicted Jack, of Meadow Law, South Shields, of sexual assault, by a majority of 10 to two.

He will learn his fate next month after the preparation of a pre-sentence report, and was granted bail in the meantime.

Judge Richard Lowden said: "He can have bail in the meanwhile, but that is without prejudice to what the sentence might be."

Speaking after the verdict, Jack said he would continue to protest his innocence.

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Cabbie-faces-jail-for-sex.3242562.jp