Pervert teacher jailed for 16 years
AFORMER deputy headteacher who made a “career of being perverted and sadistic” has been given a 19-year extended sentence.
Grahame Brennand, 71, indecently assaulted 22 girls and inflicted cruelty on two boys between 1973 and 1989 while he taught at St John’s Primary School in Baxenden.
Brennand was convicted of the offences following two separate trials at Preston Crown Court and will serve at least half of 16 years in custody before an extended licence period of three years on release.
Sentencing him, Judge Philip Parry told the defendant: “Over that 16-year period you systematically and brazenly sexually abused young girls and you beat, humiliated and demeaned young boys.
“You showered female pupils with praise and attention before and no doubt in order to sexually abuse them - we would call that grooming now.
“And you assaulted and ill-treated young boys, treating them with contempt, and subjected them to humiliation and violence often in front of the rest of the class, adding to their sense of humiliation and helplessness.
“You have now been found by two separate juries to have made a career of being perverted and sadistic, almost in equal measure.”
The court had heard the “arrogant” strict disciplinarian mainly wore sports clothing as he abused his victims in the classroom, often in plain sight but away from the gaze of colleagues as he covered the windows and door of his class with sugar paper.
His teaching career ended in 1989 when similar claims between 1981 and 1988 involving girls at St John’s were made and he went on trial at Liverpool Crown Court where he was convicted of three out of five allegations.
However, the convictions were overturned when the Court of Appeal ruled the 1981 offences ought to have been tried separately and Brennand was never retried.
Judge Parry noted that Brennand must have felt “untouchable”.
One of his victims in the current court case did report her abuse in 2013 and gave a statement to police but the allegations were not pursued as Judge Parry said he still had not been provided with any explanation from the police or Crown Prosecution Service about that decision.
The judge told Brennand: “Relieving those traumatic experiences as part of the investigation and in the courtroom came at a price for many.
“The court witnessed grown men and women weeping openly as they relived their experience at your hands.
“You have materially affected the lives of so many of your former pupils for whom you were responsible as their teacher. Relationships and marriages have broken down because of you. You have damaged the mental health of most, if not all of your victims.”
Speaking after the hearing, Julie Green, acting headteacher at Baxenden St John’s School, said: “Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by this case.”
Investigating officer Keith Hill said: “Today’s sentence reflects both the gravity and extent of Brennand’s offending and I hope it can provide some sort of closure for those affected by his depraved behaviour.
“I would like once again to commend the victims’ bravery in coming forward and re-living their ordeals in order to give evidence. It has been a long and emotional journey for everyone concerned that was made all the more challenging by the defendant’s claim that the victims had somehow colluded to invent all of the allegations.
“Grahame Brennand is a devious and arrogant man that took advantage of his position to abuse many children in his care and to carry out his perverted sexual interest in young girls, abuse which continued over many years.”
Brennand, of Calder Avenue, Freckleton, Preston, was impassive throughout the sentencing hearing.