ANTHONY PRYOR GUILTY OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN PINNER AND NORTHWOOD SCHOOL

In a significant development in the ongoing fight against sexual misconduct, Anthony John Pryor, a 73-year-old resident of Pinner, Middlesex, has been convicted of indecent assault on a young girl. The conviction was handed down on Friday, November 11, following a four-day trial held at Isleworth Crown Court.

According to court records, the incident in question took place in 1992, when Pryor was employed as a mathematics teacher at Northwood School, located on Pinner Road. The victim, who was only 15 years old at the time, was a pupil at the school. The assault was reported to authorities many years later, in 2014, prompting a thorough investigation by officers from the Child Abuse Investigation Team, which operates across the boroughs of Hillingdon and Ealing.

During the trial, evidence was presented that confirmed Pryor's involvement in the indecent assault. The court found him guilty of one count of such an offense against a girl under 16 years of age. A former pupil, who knew the victim, spoke to the Observer about the case, stating, “The sentence was what she was expecting. I think she is just glad that it is all over more than anything else. Something about him made us uncomfortable. He tried to be friends with his pupils but we always thought he was smarmy.”

In sentencing, Pryor received a six-month prison term, which was suspended for 18 months. Additionally, he has been ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for a period of seven years and is required to pay costs amounting to £1,200. The court's decision reflects the seriousness of the offense and the ongoing efforts to ensure justice for victims of sexual abuse within educational environments.