Former teacher on child abuse charges is found hanging
POLICE found a paedophile ex-teacher hanging in his shed after he failed to attend court over historic child abuse charges, some committed in Southport.
Brian Smith, 80, had already admitted four counts of indecent assault against boys but was due to stand trial at Liverpool Crown Court for a further 14 charges on Monday last week.
A warrant for his arrest was issued and Merseyside police officers arrived at his home in Okehampton Road, Childwall, at about 11pm the same day.
Neighbours said officers could be seen searching the house before breaking into a shed in the rear garden.
Officers later told a neighbour he was found hanging there.
According to the charges, Smith had abused three victims between the 1960s and the early 1980s in Southport, Liverpool, and York.
Smith, who once worked at Lister Junior School, Tuebrook, faced trial in November 1994 after being accused of kissing a schoolgirl.
But a Liverpool ECHO report from the time states that he was cleared and discharged from the dock.
The report says: “A teacher accused of kissing a girl pupil has been cleared of indecent assault.
“Brian Smith, 55, of Oakhampton [sic] Road, Childwall, had denied three specimen offences and was discharged from the dock at Liverpool Crown Court.”
One neighbour said: “I have known him most of my life and I always used to hear he had made approaches to children. He used to take children out on trips and things.
“I remember after the case in the ’90s he came over to explain that the story would be in the ECHO but that the girl had made it all up.
“A lot of the neighbours were suspicious of him.
“He had been put on administrative duties at the school after the case but the other teachers were cold and churlish with him so he had to leave teaching.”
A spokesman for Merseyside police said: “Officers attended a house in Childwall following the death of a man on Monday (January 27).
“Police attended the house on Okehampton Road following concerns for the safety of an 80-year-old man. The body of the man was found in an outbuilding.
“He has been formally identified and next of kin have been informed.”His death is not being treated as suspicious and a file has been passed to the coroner.”
Staff at Liverpool Crown Court confirmed Smith had been due to stand trial on Monday, January 27 but the court was later informed he had been found dead.
A MAN accused of stealing a charity tin failed to turn up to court and allegedly went on to assault a Tesco staff member after shoplifting
Sean Paul Vincent Clamp, 30, was arrested, charged with four separate offences and appeared in Sefton Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
On Tuesday, December 3 he was allegedly caught on CCTV walking into the Spar shop on Liverpool Road, Birkdale and walking out with a British Heart Foundation tin.
Sefton police released his picture and asked the public to come forward with information about whereabouts.
Since then Clamp, of Liverpool, has also been charged with shoplifting from Tesco Express in Ainsdale on Thursday January 9 and assaulting a member of staff outside.
He was also charged with robbing goods from the One Stop Shop in Netherton two days before.
A spokesperson from Merseyside police said: “A man has been arrested on warrant for failing to appear in court for a theft charge and has since been charged in connection to a number of other offences including shoplifting and assault.
“Sean Paul Vincent Clamp, 30, of Liverpool has been remanded in custody and will appear in Sefton Magistrates’ Court today on Monday 3 February after being charged with four offences including:
Theft of a British Heart Foundation charity tin from a Spar shop in Birkdale on Tuesday, December 3 2019.
Theft of £68.45 worth of goods from the One Stop Shop in Netherton on Tuesday, January 7.
Theft of £150-£200 worth of goods from Tesco Express in Ainsdale on Thursday January 9.
Assaulting a staff member outside Tesco Express in Ainsdale on Thursday, January 9.
“Anyone with information about any of these incidents is asked to contact detectives via @ MerPolCC, 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, with reference 19100708797.”