Unmasked, the married Eton teacher accused of abusing boys
‘Indecent images of children’
A SENIOR Eton master charged with sexual assault against three pupils can be named today.
A court order had banned identification of Matthew Mowbray but it was lifted after applications from news organisations.
The 48-year-old geography teacher will face trial next month on seven counts of sexual assault, three of making indecent photographs of children and one of voyeurism.
Mowbray, who is married with two children, had taught for many years at the £40,000-a-year school that counts Boris Johnson and Princes William and Harry as former pupils.
He was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault in May last year and suspended from his job while police trawled through his computer and cameras. He has since been dismissed from his post.
The South African-born teacher appeared before Slough magistrates on Tuesday charged with 11 offences, including seven counts of sexual assault relating to three victims.
He is also charged with three counts of making indecent photothe graphs or images of children, some of which are in the most serious category, and one count of voyeurism.
Judge Heather Norton yesterday lifted reporting restrictions on identifying Mowbray. He will face trial next month, according to a letter from Eton headmaster Simon Henderson to parents.
Mr Henderson said: ‘The welfare and the wellbeing of the boys is my top priority. We stand firmly behind those boys and families directly involved, who have acted with great dignity and courage throughout.’
He added: ‘i appreciate that many of you were very close [to him] and that you trusted him.
‘i know that you and your sons will be shocked and upset by this news and we wish to do all we can to support you.’
A meeting was held at the school earlier this week to discuss the circumstances of the case and a further meeting will be held this weekend.
Mr Henderson said the 1,300 boys at the school had been told about allegations. He is also writing to former pupils and their parents. The school has brought in a child safeguarding officer from the royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to support the victims.
The college has deleted all mention of Mowbray from its website.
Eton said in a statement: ‘Eton College can confirm that, as a result of information passed by the school to the local authority designated officer and to the police, a member of staff was arrested in May 2019, suspended from work and subsequently dismissed.
‘ He has been charged with a number of criminal offences and given the ongoing criminal proceedings, we cannot comment further about the details of this case.
‘The welfare and wellbeing of our pupils is Eton’s top priority and when appropriate, as in this case, we always work very closely with the relevant external agencies, in line with our established procedures.’
Mowbray, who lives in the village of Locks Heath near Southampton, was granted bail and will next appear at reading Crown Court for a hearing on March 31.
Eton has a reputation as one of the world’s best schools. it has taught 20 former and serving prime ministers in its 600-year history.
Founded in 1440 by Henry Vi, it is renowned for its academic excellence. Almost all of the boys go on to study at leading universities, with a third attending Oxford or Cambridge.
Facilities include a 400-seat theatre, a lake which hosted the 2012 Olympic rowing events, two swimming pools, 30 cricket pitches and 24 football and hockey pitches.
it also has two libraries, a vast collection of fine and decorative art including works by Joshua reynolds and JMW Turner and three musuems. There are 1,200 applicants for the 250 places each year.