Burton Teacher Accused of Sexually Abusing a Boy Twice a Week for Four Years

Burton Mail
August 4, 2016

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/burton-teacher-accused-of-sexually-abusing-a-boy-twice-a-week-for-four-years/story-29581858-detail/story.html

Derby Crown Court

A 77-YEAR-OLD man from Burton has been accused of sexually abusing a pupil at a Derbyshire school "twice a week" over a four year period, a court has heard.

The victim, who is now in his 50s, said John Thompson, a former junior school teacher, turned Baptist minister, would make him undress in his office at Crich C of E Junior School and then went on to touch the boy sexually.

The victim said his experiences at the hands of Thompson 'destroyed my life' and that he did not come forward until 40 years after the alleged abuse as he was "ashamed and embarrassed with myself".

Thompson, of Tutbury Road, Burton, faces charges of six counts of indecent assault and two of gross indecency with the-then pupil for offences that date back to the 1970s.

The 77-year-old denies the charges.

Giving evidence at Derby Crown Court today, the alleged victim said: "He has destroyed my life and taken my dreams.

"He has left me in fear.

"Fear, hatred and anger, I don't want those feelings anymore and that is why I am here now.

"I came to expect it (the alleged abuse) as the norm.

"I went to school and would do maths, English, whatever other subjects I was doing and then I did that (was abused by Thompson) which I thought was normal.

"I just wish I had told somebody and I could perhaps have had a better chance of life.

"But I just kept it bottled up because I was scared at what other people would say, that they would laugh at me."

Caroline Bradley, prosecuting, said the charges are all alleged to have happened while Thompson lived in Crich and taught at the school where he was a third year teacher between 1968 and 1981.

The court was told how he left teaching in 1981 to study theology and he later became employed as a Baptist minister.

In a video statement played in court, his alleged victim said the abuse started in the 1970s and carried on for four years until six months before he left the school.

He said: "It started one time when he told me 'I need to see you after school'.

"I remember being a bit nervous and scared about it, it must have been about 4pm in the afternoon.

"I got into the room and he said to me 'you have been naughty, we don't tolerate that and you need to be punished'."

The man said he was then ordered to take his trousers and underwear off and he said Thompson stared at him for "10 to 15 minutes" in silence.

The abuse then became more frequent and involved touching, the hearing was told.

The victim said: "On average it would happen two to three times a week, I was expecting it.

"I wanted to tell my mum but she was not approachable, I was frightened out of my life."

The jury has been told how Thompson has a previous conviction for sex charges against underage girls but not boys.

Giving evidence, Thompson was asked by his defence barrister, Clive Stockwell: "Did you, at the time, have any sexual interest in young boys?"

He replied: "Not at all never. What he says is absolute fiction, it's a made up story from start to end."

In cross-examination from Caroline Bradley,she said to Thompson: "I suggest he (the victim) is telling the truth and you are in denial, you cannot bring yourself to accept what you have done to that man?"

Thompson replied: "There is nothing to accept because the story is a complete work of fiction."

The trial continues.