ALLEN MEREDITH FROM WITNEY INVOLVED IN SEX ABUSE AT HERTFORDSHIRE AND SURREY SCHOOLS

In a case that has shocked the community and raised serious concerns about safeguarding in educational institutions, Allen Meredith, a former housemaster from Witney, Oxfordshire, has been sentenced to ten years in prison for a series of heinous sexual offenses committed against young boys under his care.

Meredith’s disturbing history of abuse stretches back to his early days working as a care assistant at a school in Surrey, where he first engaged in inappropriate conduct with a young boy. Despite the initial alarm raised by these incidents, Meredith was able to move on to a second institution, a boarding school located in Hertfordshire, which primarily served the sons of military personnel. It was at this Hertfordshire school that his predatory behavior continued unabated.

At the Hertfordshire school, Meredith was formally warned about his conduct following complaints from four staff members. These concerns prompted an interview with the headmaster and the chairman of the board of governors in June 1991. Despite these warnings, no disciplinary action was taken at that time, and Meredith persisted in his misconduct, often inviting boys into his room. According to prosecutor Mr. Phillip Matthews, Meredith’s pattern of grooming involved selecting certain pupils whom he favored, offering them privileges such as staying up later than their peers, giving them chocolates, or even cooking outside in the woods as a form of reward.

These favored boys would then visit Meredith in his room, where he would often display pornographic magazines or videos. The court heard that Meredith would then proceed to indecently assault these boys or, in some cases, engage in sexual acts with them. The victims, all boys aged between 9 and 12, suffered from his abuse over a period spanning from March 1983 to January 1994. The charges against Meredith include two counts of buggery, one of attempted buggery, two of indecency with a child, and one of indecent assault. These charges are considered representative of numerous episodes of sexual assault during that period.

It was revealed that in 1985, there was an investigation by both the school authorities and police into allegations made in Surrey. However, this investigation did not lead to any prosecution, and Meredith subsequently left the school. His actions, which have been described as stemming from a personality with 'stunted emotional growth' by a psychiatrist, suggest that his behavior is unlikely to change, and he will never be considered safe around children.

Judge Colin Colston, QC, sentenced Meredith yesterday, emphasizing the gravity of his crimes. He stated, “Anyone who has heard details of this case cannot be other than horrified and revolted at what happened.” Meredith, aged 48 and residing on Blakes Avenue in Witney, pleaded guilty to all charges. His case has cast a long shadow over the institutions involved and has prompted calls for stricter safeguarding measures to prevent such abuse from occurring in the future.