A SEX offender is finally on the road to getting the treatment he desperately needs -- and a judge said it was partly due to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

Mentally ill Mohammed Latif, 21, is to be admitted to Calderstones Hospital for assessment more than eight months after a jury found he molested a schoolgirl, although health and social services bosses fear he may not go along with the help.

Latif, whose family has been anxious that he gets assistance, was bailed to live at the Whalley hospital, or another establishment if directed.

Judge Raymond Bennett asked for reports and two medical opinions on the best treatment "package," for him.

Last November, the judge attacked the mental health system for failing Latif and for dragging its heels, after he was forced to put off sentence on the defendant for the seventh or eighth time.

He told how he had personally rung the Home Office to get help for the sex offender -- and got an answer machine.

Judge Bennett, who had wanted to make a supervision and treatment order, said the social services had done their best to organise supervision but the order could not be made without the co-operation of medics. Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said the length of time Latif had been forced to wait was "appalling."

Pendle MP Gordon Prentice, who is MP for Latif and his young victim, said he would be lobbying to make sure he got the treatment he needed.

Burnley Crown Court had earlier heard how Calderstones had the expertise to treat Latif as an outpatient, but not the cash.

A community psychologist based at Burnley General Hospital felt she was not qualified in the forensic aspect of Latif's case.

A social worker later told the court money was now available and Latif could be seen by the forensic team at Calderstones.

MPs called for urgent action and joined the fight to get Latif help after his plight was highlighted on the front page of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

David Whalley, Learning Disabilities Manager for Burnley Health Care Trust, told the court there was now a bed available for Latif at Calderstones and transport would be provided to get him there. Judge Bennett adjourned the case until February 12 and said it was with the assistance of Latif's counsel and, he was sure, the Press, that progress had now been made.

He had earlier told the court the victim and her mother were also worried about delays in the case.

He said he had received a letter of complaint from the girl's mother saying her daughter found the whole thing distressing and would like an end to it.

The judge said Latif was living close to the family while he waited for his case to be concluded and added the situation was "most unsatisfactory."

Oliver Jarvis, defending, said health and social services representatives had grave concerns about a supervision and treatment order as a possible sentence, as they felt it unlikely Latif would comply with it.

He urged the court to remand the defendant on bail with a condition he lives at Calderstones so that he could be assessed before the final decision on treatment and sentence took place.

Latif, of Sackville Street, Brierfield, had previously been found unfit to plead by a jury but it was found he did the act complained of -- an indecent assault on a young girl.

His trial ended in April last year and he has been waiting since then to get the help he needs.