CHARLES ELLIS FROM CHESTER SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE AT LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOL

In a recent court ruling, Charles Ellis, a resident of Chester, was sentenced to three years in prison on December 19. The court also mandated that Ellis sign the Sex Offenders Register for life and imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to restrict his future activities.

Ellis, who showed no visible reaction during the sentencing, was convicted of multiple serious offenses involving the sexual abuse of six young girls. The victims, all between the ages of eight and nine at the time of the abuse, endured Ellis’s misconduct over a period spanning more than eight years. The court heard that Ellis, aged 60 and residing on Oakfield Drive, Upton in Chester, had used his position at a primary school to carry out these heinous acts.

The prosecution, led by Charlotte Kenny, detailed how Ellis would inappropriately touch the girls, placing his hand on their backs beneath their clothing, and touching their bottoms both over and under their clothes. Additionally, he was found to have touched their legs, actions that clearly demonstrated a pattern of predatory behavior motivated by sexual gratification. The court was informed that Ellis had been employed at the unnamed primary school since 2002, and his offending spanned over eight years.

It was revealed that Ellis exploited his role of trust within the school environment to commit these acts. The case came to light after one of the victims reported her abuse to the police in 2013. However, initially, no prosecution was pursued. Instead, Ellis was subjected to training aimed at preventing inappropriate contact with children at the Wirral school where he worked. Despite this intervention, his abusive conduct continued for an additional three years.

Further reports from staff members indicated discomfort with Ellis’s behavior. On two separate occasions, a staff member expressed unease about his inappropriate touching of some girl pupils. The school suspended Ellis in April 2017 following these reports. The police revisited the case after the victim’s report, uncovering additional evidence of his misconduct. The court heard that Ellis, who has no prior criminal convictions, was “a man who appears not to be able to control himself,” according to the prosecution.

Judge Thomas Teague, QC, presided over the case. He initially released Ellis on bail to allow for a pre-sentence report but warned that a custodial sentence was highly likely when Ellis returned to court on December 19. The sentencing marks a significant step in addressing the serious breaches of trust and the harm inflicted upon the young victims by Charles Ellis in Chester.