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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Teacher jailed over child abuse | Teacher jailed over child abuse |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A teacher found guilty of sexually abusing three young boys over a decade has been jailed for 11 years. | A teacher found guilty of sexually abusing three young boys over a decade has been jailed for 11 years. |
| Peter Shotton, 55, of The Twitten, Albourne, West Sussex, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court after being convicted on 10 counts in February. | Peter Shotton, 55, of The Twitten, Albourne, West Sussex, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court after being convicted on 10 counts in February. |
| The offences happened from 1995 to 2005 at a school in Crawley. | The offences happened from 1995 to 2005 at a school in Crawley. |
| Shotton was convicted of sexual assault on a child under 13, indecency with a child, and causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. | Shotton was convicted of sexual assault on a child under 13, indecency with a child, and causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. |
| 'Sexual gratification' | 'Sexual gratification' |
| He was found not guilty of one count of indecency with a child, and the jury was unable to reach verdicts on a further six counts of indecency with a child. | |
| Shotton had denied abusing the boys while he was a maths teacher at the school. | |
| At the end of a nine-day trial in February, Judge Anthony Niblett told him: "You cared nothing but for your own perverted sexual gratification." | At the end of a nine-day trial in February, Judge Anthony Niblett told him: "You cared nothing but for your own perverted sexual gratification." |
| He was told he would be placed on the sex offenders register and disqualified from working with children for life. | |
| Jurors heard Shotton took hold of one boy's head and tried to force him to perform oral sex. | Jurors heard Shotton took hold of one boy's head and tried to force him to perform oral sex. |
| Peter is innocent and I am unbelievably proud of him, of the dignified way he has dealt with these terrible lies and his total lack of bitterness for all concerned Liz Shotton, wife | |
| One boy told his family about what happened and after his story appeared in a newspaper, two other victims came forward. | One boy told his family about what happened and after his story appeared in a newspaper, two other victims came forward. |
| The jury heard the second boy had told a friend what had happened to him nearly a year before the newspaper article was written. | |
| The third boy had also told his girlfriend before the story was published. | |
| Judge Niblett told Shotton the boys had been in his professional care and he had "betrayed that trust placed in you as a teacher". | |
| "These offences were in my judgment made worse by the fact that the abuse was performed on school premises during the school day when they should have felt secure." | |
| 'Brilliant teacher' | |
| He added: "You above all must have known the effects of your actions. | |
| "You cared nothing for their well-being but for your perverted satisfaction." | |
| Friends and family of Shotton have continued to maintain his innocence. | |
| Speaking outside the court on Tuesday, Shotton's wife, Liz, said: "You can't live intimately with somebody for 27 years and not know his every inclination. | |
| "Peter is innocent and I am unbelievably proud of him, of the dignified way he has dealt with these terrible lies and his total lack of bitterness for all concerned. | |
| "He has been a brilliant teacher and is a wonderful husband, father and friend." |