SEX ABUSE TEACHER IS UNMASKED AT REUNION

WOMEN SPENT YEARS BELIEVING THEIR ORDEALS WERE ISOLATED

A RETIRED teacher’s sexual abuse of two of his pupils came to light when a photograph with him in it was passed around at a school reunion four decades later, writes Suzy Gibson.

Gary Dexter, now 72, was described in court as a successful and popular primary school teacher – but when he was in his late 20s, he indecently touched two schoolgirls, aged 10 or 11.

Dexter went on to have a respectable career, with “not a whiff” of further offending.

His crimes were exposed when the photo that included Dexter was circulated at the reunion.

One woman who had been abused was shocked to hear from a friend that another former pupil had said Dexter had “messed around” with her. She later got in touch with her fellow victim and they contacted police.

Dexter entered not guilty pleas in December, but he returned to court last month to admit one count of indecent assault against both of the pupils and a further offence of indecency with one of them. He has now been jailed.

A DISGRACED retired teacher’s reputation is “in tatters” after he was sentenced for sexually abusing two of his pupils in the 1970s.

Gary Dexter, now 72, was described as a successful and popular primary school teacher – but when he was in his late 20s he indecently touched two schoolgirls, aged 10 or 11.

His crimes at St Bartholomew’s Primary, in Quorn, came to light during a school reunion attended by one of the victims, when a photograph that included Dexter – whose duties included PE and after-school gym classes – was passed around.

The former pupil was shocked to hear that a fellow former pupil, who was not at the reunion, had told a friend the defendant had “messed around” with her.

She got in touch with the second victim via Facebook and they both decided to contact the police.

Moving victim impact statements, heard at Leicester Crown Court, revealed the full extent of lifelong mental anguish and suffering Dexter’s actions caused to the women, who are now both in their 50s.

Dexter, of Yarwell Mill, Yarwell, Peterborough, initially denied any wrongdoing when he entered not guilty pleas in December.

But he returned to court on August 27 to admit one count of indecent assault against both of the pupils and a further offence of indecency with one of them.

It related to sexual touching of each girl and inciting one of them to touch close to his private parts.

Mark Achurch, prosecuting, said Dexter, who had no other convictions, was considered a popular teacher who went on to have a successful career.

He said the defendant accepted some level of grooming took place to “pave the way”.

WHAT HAPPENED

One victim was alone with the defendant, awaiting the arrival of her parents after extra school gym activities, when he began tickling her, saying she had to strengthen her tummy muscles if she wanted to be a gymnast.

She recalled an occasion when he was lying down as she was made to sit astride him, when he touched her in an intimate area.

Another memory was the defendant getting on top of her and touching her – and when two children walked in he quickly jumped off her.

The second victim recalled having her school blouse undone and her chest touched as she sat on Dexter’s lap at his desk as she was reading a book when alone together.

Regarding the grooming, she claimed the defendant encouraged her and others to massage his legs and thighs.

She said she thought she was “the only one” to have been abused until the other complainant contacted her via Facebook.

VICTIM IMPACT

The first victim attended court with her husband and daughter and read out her own statement in the witness box.

She said: “For over 40 years what you did has continued to affect me, you didn’t just sexually abuse me, you ruined me.”

She described the huge impact Dexter’s actions had on her adult family life and said making the police complaint had opened a “Pandora’s Box” of having to relive the details.

She said: “It massively affected my childhood.”

She still suffers from panic attacks and “dark days”.

“I will never forgive you for what you did to me, I just pray that what you say – that we were the only two – is true and that by pleading guilty we can all have some closure,” she said.

The woman and her grown-up daughter wept in court, as did the defendant’s wife and some of his relatives.

The second victim viewed the proceedings via Skype.

Her impact statement was read out by the prosecutor.

She described having her “innocence stolen” and being left feeling “unsafe and wary of men.”

She said: “I trusted you and you used the balance of power to satisfy your desires.”

The complainant said it left her feeling ashamed until her 30s and that she has since sought psychological help.

She said: “I hope you can acknowledge the pain and suffering you’ve caused.”

I trusted you and you used the balance of power to satisfy your desires

Victim

WHAT THE JUDGE SAID

Judge Robert Brown said: “You’ve gone on since these offences to have a successful career in the teaching profession.

“Your family and friends have a love and respect for you and are standing by you.

“You’ve been able to go on and lead your adult life in a perfectly normal way.

“But for your two victims there has been ongoing hurt and pain which they’ve had to bear.

“They’ve suffered daily because of that abuse.”

APOLOGY TO THE VICTIMS

Dan Close, mitigating, said the defendant had written a letter to the court, which included: “I am sorry for the anguish and hurt I inflicted on these innocent children, their families and the lasting legacy it has left. I’m deeply ashamed.

“I’m not the person now that I was then.”

Mr Close said the letter demonstrated genuine remorse and Dexter was willing to “shoulder the stigma that this offending carries”.

He said: “He fully accepts what he did and his family knows that.”

The offences happened after a relationship breakdown, before Dexter met his wife, who suffers from ill health.

After the events he built up a “constructive and admirable” life with “not a whiff” of further offending.

Mr Close said: “The reputation he’s built up over a lifetime has been left in tatters and that’s going to be a grave punishment in itself.”

Dexter, who sat in the dock throughout the hearing with his head bowed, was jailed for two years.

He will have to enlist on a sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

POLICE STATEMENT

Detective Constable Anna Blockley, from the non-recent team in the police’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit, was the officer on the case.

She said: “Dexter committed these crimes when he was in a position of trust – he was a teacher, looking after young children.

“But rather than look after them, he abused them for his own sexual gratification.

“For more than 40 years, both victims have lived their lives, having been victims of sexual abuse. They’ve shown courage and determination in reporting it to police and helping bring Dexter to justice.”