Latest Offenders Berkshire

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A sex offender who committed 'abhorrent' crimes against a child has been sentenced to seven years in prison.

Scott Grineau, aged 38, of Pegasus Close in Thatcham, was found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict of five counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity following a trial at Oxford Crown Court, which concluded on Friday (March 15).

He was acquitted of a further count of sexual activity with a child.

Grineau was jailed for a total of seven years with 12 years on licence.

He will also be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

The offending took place in Witney over one night in September 2021 and the offences were reported to the force on September 15 that year.

Grineau was arrested on September 16 2021 and was charged via a postal requisition on December 23 2022.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Samantha Hunter of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit said: Scott Grineau has now been held to account for some abhorrent offences against a child.

I would like to place on record my praise for the victim in this case for having the courage to support the investigation to ensure that Grineau is sent to prison where he belongs.

We will always investigate offences of this nature and seek to bring offenders to justice.

Description

Steven Hicks, 60, was one of the healthcare professionals who had been providing care to a woman after she was released from hospital following a fall.

On 5 January 2022, wearing medical clothing and disguised with a surgical mask and thick-rimmed glasses, he made an unscheduled evening visit to the woman’s home in Earley, where he sexually assaulted her. 

Hicks denied the assault, but a jury found him guilty after the Crown Prosecution Service presented forensic and phone evidence linking him to the offence. 

Hicks’ DNA was found to match that found on the woman’s body and clothing, and phone location data disputed his claim he was at home that night, indicating he was more likely to have been near the woman’s address. 

This evidence was supported by a detailed account from the victim about what happened to her, and footage from her video doorbell confirming someone had come to her home that evening.

Hicks had accessed the woman’s clinical records several times while she was receiving out-of-hospital care, often when he was on annual leave and had no reason to check them. The woman had cancelled any further evening care on 4 January; however, Hicks visited her the next evening having checked her records again that day.

Crown Prosecution Service lawyer Shilpa Shah said: “This was a shocking crime carried out by someone in a trusted profession. Steven Hicks knew the victim was vulnerable and that no other carers were due to visit her that evening, and he used his position to gain access to her home to assault her, in her own bedroom. 

“Hicks denied the charges against him, but we were able to present evidence to the court clearly linking him to the assault. His DNA matched that found on the victim and her clothing, and his phone data placed him near her home at the time of the offence. He will now spend time in prison for his crime.”

Description

Following an investigation by Thames Valley Police, a man has been jailed after he was found guilty of two sexual assaults in Wokingham.

Dean Dowlutta, aged 40, of Crowthorne, was found guilty of the offences in a trial lasting four days at Reading Crown Court, which concluded on 3 November 2023.

Returning to the same court for sentencing last Friday (12/1), Dowlutta was jailed for a total of three and a half years.

The offences occurred on 1 September 2021 and 13 October 2021 in Wokingham.

On 1 September 2021, Dowlutta was at a gym studio in the town when he digitally sexually assaulted his victim with his finger.

The second offence occurred on 13 October 2021 when Dowlutta sexually assaulted the victim over her clothing by inappropriate touching.

Dowlutta was arrested on 16 October 2021 and was charged with the offences on 14 October 2022.

Investigating officer PC Hartnell said: “I am pleased that Dowlutta has been sentenced to prison for these offences.

“I would like to pay tribute to Dowlutta’s victim, who put her trust in our investigation to bring him to justice.

“She showed tremendous courage to report the offences and patience while we investigated and held Dowlutta to account.

“We will always investigate offences of this nature with utmost integrity and support victims throughout.

“Dowlutta will now serve a significant custodial sentence as a result of his actions, and I hope that the victim in this case will be able to put this ordeal behind her and move on with her life.”

Description

A MAN told a woman she had to be quiet as he launched a nightmare sex attack on her.

Jaimie Reeves refused to let the woman leave and kept trying to rape her despite her obvious resistance.

The attack left the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, with crippling" mental health problems and changed her life forever.

Reeves, 27, had been with the woman at a house in Dorset when the incident occurred.

The pair were both sat in the lounge in the evening, when Reeves moved to the sofa she was sat on and began to grope her.

They then went into the garden for a cigarette, at which point the defendant told the woman he wanted to have sex with her.

Once back inside, he tried to pull her shorts and underwear down and told her: Youre going to let me have it.

The woman refused his advances, telling him no and making multiple attempts to leave.

Reeves then launched a despicable sex attack on the woman, becoming rough and telling her she had to be quiet.

Prosecuting Andrew Houston said the assault took place over some considerable time, lasting for perhaps more than an hour.

The woman was only able to escape during the early hours of the morning when the defendant went into the bathroom to be sick.

She went home and told her mum, before reporting it to police.

In a victim statement, she said: Each morning when I wake up, I have to remind myself that he wont be able to hurt me anymore like he did that day.

I do believe this is something that will change my life forever.

Reeves, of Oxford Road in Sandhurst, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday, October 24, in relation to the incident which occurred in July 2020.

He was found guilty by a jury on counts of attempted vaginal rape, attempted oral rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault.

Defending, Nick Robinson noted his client was of previous good character and had no previous convictions.

Mr Robinson added: In my submission it wasnt planned, it was spontaneous.

These offences were not sustained or prolonged.

He added that the defendant's family were suffering emotionally, and pleaded for the court to approach the case with some mercy and compassion.

Addressing Reeves, Recorder Richard Onslow said: What went on inside was nothing short of a nightmare for [the victim].

"She kept telling you no and that she wasnt interested. You kept trying to rape her, when there was obvious resistance.

She felt extremely vulnerable.

The effects upon her have clearly been severe crippling anxiety, terrified of walking in the street, panic attacks, and struggling with mental health.

Reeves was handed a nine-year prison sentence.

He was also handed a restraining order for an indefinite period, and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Description

THE former headteacher of three West Berkshire primary schools has been caught with indecent images of children.

Gerry Heaton was a pillar of the education establishment, serving as an adviser to West Berkshire Council schools' Therapeutic Thinking Support Team (TTST) for vulnerable or troubled youngsters until his arrest.

But the 57-year-old was hiding a dreadful secret – since 2012, he had been hoarding indecent images of children at his home, many of them in the most extreme classification, Category A.

Mr Heaton was headteacher at Hungerford Primary School from January 2014 until taking early retirement in August 2017.

Previously, he was headteacher at Inkpen Primary School for more than eight years, from April 2008.

And before that, from January 2001, Mr Heaton had been deputy headteacher and acting headteacher at Lambourn Primary School.

He was serving as a specialist teacher at Theale Primary School in the months before his arrest and had served as school governor at Kintbury St Mary's Primary School.

Mr Heaton, a former pupil at John O'Gaunt School in Hungerford, was considered an inspirational educator to generations of youngsters.

He was also keen on amateur dramatics and was an enthusiastic member of the Kintbury Players.

But his reputation is now in tatters.

Mr Heaton, of Bradley Close, Kintbury, has admitted possessing hundreds of indecent images of children.

Specifically, he was caught with 124 images classified as Category C; 131 in Category B and 66 in Category A.

All the offences were committed in Kintbury between January 21, 2012 and September 9, 2021.

Mr Heaton, who was charged under his formal first name, Gerard, made the admissions during a brief appearance at Reading Magistrates' Court.

Magistrates ruled that the matters were so serious that they should be sentenced by a judge sitting at Reading Crown Court on a date to be fixed.

Mr Heaton was meanwhile released on unconditional bail.

He is no longer an adviser to the TTST, which aims to help young people who experience social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) difficulties.

All the above primary schools are state maintained, apart from Lambourn Primary School, which is managed by the Excalibur Academies Trust.

A spokesman for West Berkshire Council said: "We are aware of the ongoing criminal proceedings, and until they have concluded it would be inappropriate for us to comment."

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A SCHOOL caretaker said 'he should be hung' after he admitted to arranging sexual acts with a child.

David Wolfe, of Elm Drive, Winkfield, was locked up after also admitting to sending a picture of his genitalia to a 13-year-old girl.

The 63-year-old was arrested after he tried to meet up with the child - who was really an undercover police officer - having brought condoms with him to a park in Windsor in the summer of 2020.

He comes before the court today as a broken man. He says he has destroyed everything, defence barrister Mark Kinsey told Reading Crown Court.

He was living a fantasy world online and he said the best thing that happened was the police coming and taking away his devices.

In his view, he should be hung. He says he is disgusted with himself and he is extremely ashamed of what happened.

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A Sandhurst man uploaded indecent images of a child onto the Internet and even engaged in sexual activity with a minor. Police became alerted to Christopher Seston's sordid act when email addresses he was connected to uploaded images.

Police officers in Wiltshire, where the 49-year-old used to live, became aware of the uploads last year. Seston was arrested and his devices seized.

It was then the true extent of his offending was uncovered. Evidence suggested Seston had not only uploaded indecent images of children online, but he had also abused a child.

Seston was arrested in February last year. He has now pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child and four counts of taking indecent images of a child.

Seston appeared before Salisbury Crown Court where he was jailed for four years. He has also been made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Constable Jason Walsh, from Wiltshire Polices Child Internet Exploitation Team, said: This was a disturbing case where our initial enquiries into the uploading of indecent images of children led to us uncovering the fact that Seston had also been sexual abusing a child. I would like to pay tribute to the young victim in this case who has had the courage to bravely speak out about what happened to her and whose evidence has led to Seston being convicted and sentenced for his offending.

We would like to encourage anyone who has been the victim of sexual offences to feel that they can speak to someone. You will be believed and we can ensure the relevant support is put in place, particularly when children or young people are involved.

Description

ONE of Britain's most respected pilots and a former Red Arrows ace has admitted possessing indecent images of children.

Andrew Cubin MBE, 59, who now lives in Windsor, appeared at Swindon Magistrates Court - which heard he has now changed his name to Andrew Lloyd.

He pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing indecent images of a child - including 48 in the most serious category.

During a 20-year career in the Royal Air Force, when he was known as Andy Cubes Cubin, he flew in the Red Arrows.

Prosecutor Keith Ballinger said Wiltshire Police launched an investigation after they received information relating to an IP address being used to upload images to the internet.

"The IP address was found to belong to an address in Malmesbury", he said.

Adding: "Officers attended the address on 17 February last year and arrested Mr Lloyd."

Speaking at the case on Tuesday Mr Ballinger said the defendant told the officers "you can take my laptop, I used that", before stating "I have removed all the images".

Various items were seized from the property in Kings Meadow, Crudwell, near Malmesbury, Wilts., including the laptop.

Forensic analysis revealed a number of indecent images of children - some were pictures and others were videos.

The court heard that 48 Category A images were found - all of which involve children engaging in penetrative sexual activity.

39 Category B images - which show non-penetrative sexual activity with a child - were discovered, and ten Category C images were also found.

He made full admissions In an interview in custody, the court heard.

In 2016 he told how and his wife battled in vain to save their tragic 14-year-old daughter who suddenly died on a sleepover.

Mr Ballinger said in interview Lloyd made reference to his daughter.

Though, defence solicitor Nicholas Wragg interjected, stating: "Is that really necessary?" - resulting in the prosecutor not continuing his summary of the custody interview.

Lloyd, now of Wood Close, Windsor, was told he must register as a sex offender at Bracknell Police Station within 72 hours.

Magistrates committed the case to Swindon Crown Court for sentence on 6 May. A pre-sentence report was ordered.

"You'll be committed to Swindon Crown Court for sentencing. These offences are so serious you need a greater punishment that we can give", the chair of the bench remarked.

Lloyd was released on unconditional bail.

He flew in the Red Arrows as Red 6, who leads the synchro pairing.

Before qualifying as a fast jet instructor, he flew Jaguars and Hawks.

The pilot boasts about having completed more than 500 display flights across the UK, where after he would meet and greet the public.

Since leaving the RAF in 2002, he has worked for some of the world's biggest airlines as a Captain, flying the Airbus A321, A320 and A319.

Lloyd also flies stunt planes for a company.

Outside of aviation, Lloyd describes himself as having an "infused a passion for photography".

On his profile, he claims to have a commercial and wedding photography business and teaches photography workshops in Wiltshire.

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A former Maidstone teacher found guilty of sexually abusing a child has been jailed for six years.

Carly Dear, of Braemore Close, Thatcham, met the victim and carried out the abuse during her time working as a PE teacher at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls more than 15 years ago.

When the victim was in her teens, Dear started to have private conversations with her in the changing rooms, offering her sweets and giving her lifts home.

Eventually Dear’s behaviour escalated and became sexual, touching the girl before taking her to Dear’s then-address in Whitstable, or a hotel, where she would abuse the victim.

Dear continued to regularly contact and abuse the victim grooming her and insisting the activity was normal.

Dear was arrested by Kent Police after the victim reported the abuse in 2018, leading to an investigation into the non-recent offences, and resulting in the 46-year-old being charged.

Following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court in October 2021, Dear was found guilty of inciting sexual activity by a person in a position of trust, four counts relating to indecent assault, and one count of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.

The jury found her not guilty of one count of sexual assault.

She was sentenced last Friday (January 13) to six years in prison.

She will also be put on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Hannah Crittenden said: "Carly Dear took advantage of a child for her own selfish desire and the victim’s memories of growing up will be affected by what Dear has done.

"I hope the victim recognises that she was extremely brave in speaking up but did the right thing by doing so.

"I hope that she will now focus on the future, unafraid and knowing that she was believed and Dear is facing the consequences of her own illegal actions."

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A private school teacher who sexually abused a pupil and groomed two others has been jailed for 11 years.

Stuart Woods, 34, plied the "vulnerable" pupils with alcohol to aid his abuse, while teaching at Reddam House Berkshire in Wokingham, Reading Crown Court heard.

The British Gymnastics coach was found guilty of five child sex offences.

Sentencing Woods, judge Edward Burgess QC said his offending "constitutes the most egregious breach of trust".

The court heard Woods sexually abused the boy on school premises and groomed the girls.

In a victim impact statement, the mother of the boy said her world was "shattered" when her son told her he had been abused by his teacher.

"We carry the burden of guilt too as parents, as we had no idea this was occurring at school," she said.

"This continues to haunt us our faith and trust in people has been completely eradicated."

Her son said, in a victim impact statement, he "rarely experiences happiness" following the abuse.

"Stuart is not a bad man, he is a monster," he added.

'Impetuous'

Woods, of Wellington Road, Sandhurst, was found guilty of two counts of engaging in a sexual activity with a child and three of engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Judge Burgess described him as "impetuous and highly manipulative" and "narcissistic".

Speaking to the victims, he added: "I wish you well in your lives going forward and hope you can find healing."

He was also given a sexual harm prevention order for 20 years, a restraining order and made to sign the sex offenders register.

In a statement, Reddam House Berkshire said the safeguarding and wellbeing of pupils was its "absolute priority".

"We take any safeguarding allegations extremely seriously and have supported the police and relevant authorities throughout the process with their investigations and subsequent conviction of Mr Woods," it added.

Boarders at the school can expect to pay up to 31,000 per year.

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A WINDSOR man will serve 21 years behind bars after being found guilty of sexually abusing two children between 15 and 30 years ago.

Trevor Smith, formerly of Dedworth Road, Windsor, was convicted of indecently assaulting a girl and raping a boy following a trial in March.

The 56-year-old, who appeared in the dock at Reading Crown Court this morning, was labelled as dangerous by Judge Edward Burgess.

The court heard how Smiths sexual abuse began when he was asked to babysit the girl when she was aged around four-years-old.

She was indecently assaulted by him on this occasion and at least three other occasions up until she was around eight-years-old, the court heard.

He told her that if she were to say anything about the abuse, he would put disgusting photos of her in newspapers.

A statement from the woman who was sexually abused by Smith read: He abused me at such a young age, which has affected me in so many ways.

I had so much potential but I lost confidence because I was consumed by what he did to me.

I feel very angry that he took my childhood away from me.

As a teenager I felt excluded and disregarded. I believe this all stemmed from what he did to me at such a young age.

The second survivor, a man who was raped and sexually assaulted by Smith from around the ages of 8 and 12, said he has suffered from effects including bed-wetting, insomnia, night terrors and stomach disorders in the years since the abuse.

Reading Crown Court heard how the boy was groomed with sweets and snacks and shown porn by Smith.

The mans statement read: What he did to me has affected parts of my life from my school years to my present adult life.

I felt trapped, I was not able to deal with what he did to me. I was made to feel unworthy and felt depressed and suicidal.

I continue to have flashbacks and memory problems. I can still smell him.

I feel like I will always have this darkness over me.

Defending, Rachel Darby said Smith was not in good health following a stroke which left him unable to use his left arm two months ago.

She said: This will not be an easy prison sentence for him to serve.

Sentencing, Judge Edward Burgess slammed Smith for pleading not guilty and forcing a trial, saying he had caused his survivors additional trauma by forcing them to tell of their experiences again.

He scolded Smith for the grave ways he systematically abused the boy, which included rape and sexual assault.

Your abuse of him tragically became part of his formative life, Judge Burgess said.

The effects have been profound and life changing.

There is no doubt you have caused him severe psychological harm.

Addressing Smith about his abuse of the girl, Judge Burgess said his offending had caused her severe distress.

He sentenced Smith to 21 years in prison after he was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault, three counts of indecent assault of a male, two counts of rape, sexual assault of a child under 13 and rape of a child under 13.

Smith, who appeared at Reading Crown Court on Wednesday, May 19, will serve half this sentence before being eligible for parole.

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A FIREMAN had sex with an underage girl in a fire engine and groomed her with booze and day trips out.

Disgraced dad of two James Clark promised the 15-year-old he would leave his wife for her.

Controlling Clark, 41, told the teen that she was forbidden to have a boyfriend of her own age.

He abused the girl over a period of years at home and work, a court heard.

The traumatised victim, now 21, eventually alerted police when she was 18, after contacting Childline.

Clark, of Crowthorne, Berks, was found to have pics on his phone of him having sex with her.

The paedophile admitted six counts of sexual activity with a child.

At Reading Crown Court, judge Edward Burgess said it was sustained abuse to someone who was vulnerable.

He jailed Clark for six years and eight months.

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A public school rowing coach who posed as a 16-year-old girl to sexually manipulate 32 teenage boys was jailed for six years today.

Andrew Cook, 30, was convicted of 37 sexual offences involving dozens of boys aged between 13 and 17 at south west London's £20,000-per-year Hampton School.

Cook, of Newbury, Berkshire, tricked the boys into getting naked on camera making 'pic for pic' requests while posing as a 16-year-old girl, under the name Anne Jones.

The teacher targeted a string of adolescent boys over the course of nine years.

Victims recalled feeling 'embarrassed', 'awful' and 'physically sick' when they discovered Anne Jones was in fact their rowing coach, who they trusted and regarded as a friend.

Cook was sentenced at Guilford Crown Court today where he came face to face with one of his victims, while others attended virtually. 

The ex-rowing coach was also banned from working with children and will be placed on the sexual offenders register.

Judge Alexia Durran said: 'You were in a position of trust to many of the teenage victims.

'They said you were someone they trusted, someone who helped them when they were bullied, someone who had betrayed their trust. Some feel it has impacted their academic studies.' 

Surrey Police's Paedophile Online Investigation Team launched their probe in April 2018 after being alerted by the school and found Cook had been offending since June 2011. 

During his nine-year period of abuse, Cook invited victims to a game of truth and dare online and asked them to trade 'pic for pic'.

On one occasion, he pretended to be his female cousin while talking to a boy online who he sent photos of a topless female and asked for nude pictures in return. 

The ex rowing coach pleaded guilty to 37 counts of grooming the boys to pose naked for him and to possessing 53 indecent images of children.

He denied charges related to three further boys which were not tried and will remain on file. 

The rowing coach was sacked from the 450-year-old independent school two years ago after an internal disciplinary inquiry prompted by student complaints. 

Hampton School expressed its 'deep regret' after the shamed former rowing coach was jailed.

A spokesperson said: 'We have been deeply saddened by this matter, which runs completely counter to the values of our School.

'The welfare of our pupils is always our highest priority. As soon as we became aware of concerns in spring term 2018, we immediately informed all relevant authorities.

'Mr Cook was suspended from the School and subsequently dismissed with immediate effect following an internal disciplinary investigation.

'Since then we have worked closely with Surrey Police and partner agencies to assist with their ongoing inquiries and provide all possible support, both to them and to the victims.

'We are grateful to all those who have helped bring this matter to justice, not least of course those whose courage in coming forward provided invaluable assistance to the investigation.

'We express our deep regret to those affected and offer our continued support.'

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SOBBING and humiliated, I watched as my GP scanned my body and told me: Well, you look healthy to me."

I'd just spent the last ten minutes pouring my heart out, explaining how I'd been trapped in a hellish cycle of starving myself then binging and purging on repeat - all in the wake of sickening sex abuse.

I was 16 years old and it had taken me months to pluck up the courage to seek help after spiralling into the depths of an eating disorder after my favourite teacher groped me in my classroom and tried to make me follow him into the stationary cupboard.

Despite me reporting it to the school, they'd taken his side and the other kids had caught wind of it and began calling me names in the corridors.

But my doctor told me I didn't tick the 'physical box criteria' - my BMI was normal, I wasn't skeletal and my periods hadn't stopped.

Humiliated, I left the surgery and an already toxic pattern of thinking and behaving became even darker.

Across the UK, around 1.6 million people are battling eating disorders, with anorexia having the highest mortality rate of all mental health disorders - and studies show those suffering with eating disorders are likely to be victims of sexual trauma.

'My world collapsed when I turned 12'

I was always one of those children described as good eaters - I was never fussy throughout my childhood and was never over or underweight.

I was a happy child - up until the age of 12 when my whole world collapsed after a teacher at my school sexually abused me.

One day in year eight, I needed split pins so my teacher told me to go to a classroom down the hall to fetch them.

I entered the empty room to find one of my favourite teachers sat behind his desk.

Shay Pather, also known as Shayen, was the 'cool', young teacher at Kings Langley School- at just 27 years old, he was popular with the students.

He always called me his A-star student and made a huge fuss over me - but despite enjoying his classes, I never had a 'teen crush' on him - to me he was just my teacher, an adult.

After seeing me walk into the classroom, he rolled his chair away from his desk and beckoned me over, pretending to be interested in my work.

As I stood in front of him, showing him my model, he suddenly reached out and yanked my tie - knotting it.

This was a game the kids played at school - we called it 'peanutting' - the aim was to leave the person with the tightest knot.

Confused by his strange behaviour, I let out a nervous laugh but as I turned away to sort my tie, he grasped my upper arms pulled me down onto his lap.

Still in his grip, he pushed my hair to the side and pushed his lips hard onto the back of my neck.

Paralysed with fear, my eyes fixed on the closed classroom door, I froze as he molested me.

I couldn't understand why someone I had trusted, whose job was to keep me safe, was doing this.

Confused, panicked and in a state of shock, I scrambled from his grip and bolted for the door.

He edged around the desks, grabbing at my waist and trying to block my escape.

As I frantically tried to get out of the classroom, he ordered me to go into the walk-in cupboard, where I would be able to find the split pins - but my gut told me not to.

I pushed past him and ran down the hall with tears streaming down my face and my shirt untucked.

He ordered me to go into the walk-in cupboard

Hana Carter

I ran as fast as I could to my head of year's office, and as I looked out the window I saw him scrambling up the stairs after me.

Branded a 'slut'

I told the head of year what had happened, then I went home - confused, violated and exhausted from crying.

Mum took me back to the school that evening for an emergency meeting with my headteacher.

As I sat in front of the headteacher it became immediately apparent that he didn't believe me.

The head asked my mum why I wasn't 'more upset', to which she replied: "I've just spent the last hour calming her down so that she can be here to talk to you."

Pather was arrested, and the days that followed were a blur of police interviews, sleepless nights and inconsolable counselling sessions.

During the investigation he was suspended from school and his absence and whispers of the assault spread like wildfire through the hallways.

But to my horror, as no one saw the incident and it was his word against mine - the police decided to let him go. Suddenly, my abuser was free to roam my school and return to teaching.

He stayed at the school until I left in year 11 and was banned from teaching me or speaking to me.

But as I walked to my tech lessons, he would often smirk at me or try to start a conversation, making little jokes as I blanked him.

I was branded a liar, an attention seeker and worst of all a sl*t by the other kids.

As every school year ended, I would be relieved that one wave of kids who knew my name and my story was leaving to be replaced by a fresh slate of more.

I considered moving school but I didn't want to leave my friends and be the new girl elsewhere, so I stood my ground.

But my private pain only worsened as time went on.

'I'd binge on junk then make myself sick'

I felt like I'd lost myself - and we hit the early 2000s super-skinny became the new thing and Kate Moss was queen.

I wanted to be like the happy women in the magazines, I thought that would make me feel confident again.

My self-esteem had been shot to pieces and I'd convinced myself I was fat, despite only being a size 8.

I began skipping meals and within a few months, I was completely controlled by obsessive thoughts around food and weight.

I would starve myself for weeks on end before giving in to hunger and devouring everything in sight.

During these frantic binges, I'd go to the shops and buy bags of crisps, packs of biscuits, ready-made sandwiches, pastries, sweets, chocolate - you name it.

In the privacy of my bedroom, I'd eat it all in one sitting and wouldn't stop until I felt physically sick.

Then I'd sneak to the bathroom, shove my fingers down my throat and make myself throw up until there was nothing left.

This went on for months, and my parents soon realised there was something wrong when I made constant excuses to avoid mealtimes.

The happy young girl I once was became withdrawn, angry and secretive and they couldn't understand why.

All I thought about was food, the ways to avoid it and how many calories everything had in it. If anything got in the way of my strict plan, I became incredibly anxious and even aggressive.

I'd sneak to the bathroom, shove my fingers down my throat and make myself throw up

Hana Carter

I came up with ways to hide or get rid of food without my parents realising... I would do anything I could to avoid eating.

I single-handedly ruined one Christmas eve with my family by refusing to eat pizza. Id used every excuse in the book not to eat dinner with them that evening, but dad wasnt having any of it.

He finally lost his patience when he caught me taking the cheese off my slices and hiding it in a piece of kitchen roll.

I couldnt tell him that my heart was pounding and I wanted to burst into tears just looking at the food on my plate.

I used to look in the mirror and just hold onto the 'fat' and squeeze myself so hard it would hurt - and I would only allow myself to eat the equivalent of a six-year-old's allowance.

'I was too scared to ask for help'

This hell went on for most of my teenage years and even spilled into my twenties.

I would try to pull myself out of it and eat normally, but then Id spiral back into my old ways, becoming extremely anxious by food and eating - it was a constant cycle.

But I never asked for help, the experience with the GP when I was 16 made me feel that I didn't deserve it.

I was physically harming myself by starving myself and was exercising control over food as a way to cope with trauma. But because I wasnt critically underweight I was pushed to the side, left to get worse.

Eating disorders are more than someones size. They are a mental illness and should be treated as such. Catching it early could save lives - rather than turning people away because their BMI isnt deemed low enough.

'He's abused another underage girl'

At 26, I would be lying if I said I had a completely normal relationship with food and that I loved my body, but Im working on it.

In 2014, nearly a decade after I was violated by Pather, my biggest fear came true - he had done it again.

It was as if someone had picked me up and planted me straight back in that classroom in 2006 - I felt sick to my stomach.

Furious that history had been allowed to repeat itself, I wrote a letter to the school.

I told them how had they have taken me seriously and treated me with the respect and care I deserved, the monster that ruined my school years wouldn't have been able to destroy another girls' life.

To my surprise, I got a call from the police several days later to tell me that the school had forwarded my letter to them and asked me to provide a statement to help with the case.

On October 20, 2014, Shayen Pather pleaded guilty at St Albans Crown Court to the charge of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.

He was sentenced to just nine months and was put on the sex offenders' register for 10 years - which will be up in four years.

But despite never getting my own personal justice and it not being the longest jail sentence, when I heard the news that he had been put behind bars, I broke down in tears.

After what happened to me, as I watched him arrogantly swan around the school, my biggest fear was that he would ruin more young girl's lives.

The news that he would never set foot in a classroom again gave me a rush of relief - a sensation I'd been yearning after for nine years.

After it got out that he had been jailed, the rumour mill sprung to life, but this time I was on the receiving end of kind messages from people Id gone to school with, apologising for not believing me.

There are times where I wonder how different my teenage years would have been had that day in 2005 not happened - and maybe how different I'd be as a person now.

But I refuse to live in the past and obsess over the 'what ifs'.

What happened to me and the knock on effect was traumatic, but I'm so proud of my 12-year-old self and the strength that she mustered - it's something I still carry with me today.

Description

Robert Neill, 63 of Park Lane, Thatcham, carried out a series of sexual assaults at Kennet School where he worked between 1986 and 2003.

A school PE teacher who chose vulnerable boys who took his fancy to prey on and sexually abuse has been jailed for 21 years for raping a pupil.

Robert Neills wife blew him a kiss across the courtroom as the 63-year-old was led down to the cells on Wednesday, March 9, after a judge described how he had left an indelible mark on his victims, some as young as 11.

The paedophile, of Park Lane, Thatcham and who was a housemaster at the school, was sent to prison for more than two decades for sexually assaulting boy pupils where he worked for 17 years.

He worked at Kennet School in Thatcham, when he carried out the severe sexual acts, which included a rape.

Sitting at Reading Crown Court Judge Angela Morris described the 63-year-old as a man who preyed on the youngest and most vulnerable pupils at his school to carry out his abuse which left an indelible mark upon them.

The teacher would single out the youngest boys in their academic years and also naughty pupils before demanding that they paid him a visit in his office.

Acting as the head of St Michaels House at the Berkshire school, he would inflict his abuse during the office visits within the grounds of the school.