Paedophile teacher jailed 21 years
Paedophile teacher Derek Slade was sentenced to 21 years in jail on Monday for abusing 12 pupils during the 1970s and 1980s.
The 61-year-old, who ran St George’s School in Great Finborough, near Stowmarket in Staffordshire, UK, was convicted more than 50 offences - including child sex abuse, beatings, and child pornography.
Sentencing Slade at Ipswich Crown Court Judge Peter Fenn said: "Many of those boys whose stories we heard went on to become men whose lives were seriously damaged."
Slade hit the boys with a slipper, a cane, a bat, or his bare hands
Slade was found guilty on Friday, following a trial spanning more than five weeks, of three counts of buggery, four indecent assaults and, six charges of actual bodily harm on 12 boys aged from eight and 13, between 1978 and 1983.
Slade was acquitted of a further buggery charge and another offence of indecent assault.
Following the jury’s verdict one of his victims spoke of his feelings.
In a joint statement Slade’s victims said: "Derek Slade stole our childhoods. What should have been the happiest years of our lives were turned into the most fearful."
Jurors heard that Slade ran St George’s private school, which was initially based in Wicklewood, Norfolk, then moved to Great Finborough in 1980.
Prosecutors said Slade hit boys with a slipper, a cane, a bat, or his bare hand.
Before his trial, Slade, of Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, admitted 15 indecent assaults and five assaults on boys, as well as 17 child pornography offences and having a false passport.
He denied the other allegations of assault and indecent assault.
Source: East Anglian Daily Times
Published Sept 7 2010
Comments (0)