GEORGE HOARE WALTHAMSTOW INFANT SCHOOL ABUSE SCANDAL

In November 2001, Geoffrey Hoare, a former head teacher based in Walthamstow, was sentenced to a total of 30 months in prison after being found guilty of multiple counts of sexual abuse involving young girls. The allegations against Hoare, aged 53 at the time, came to light following investigations into his conduct during his tenure at Winns Infant School on Fleeming Road, Walthamstow.

Hoare was accused of abusing five young girls, aged between seven and 11, over a span of six years from 1976 to 1982. The victims provided statements that detailed disturbing encounters at two primary schools in the Walthamstow and Waltham Abbey areas. According to these accounts, Hoare would deliberately engineer situations where he could be alone with the children. During these encounters, he would make the girls sit on his knee, then proceed to touch them inappropriately. The victims recalled that Hoare would often tell them not to tell anyone about their 'little secret,' and would reassure them by saying, 'you’re special,' as part of his manipulative tactics.

Testimonies from three individuals involved in the earliest incidents, which took place at Thomas Gamuel School on Colchester Road and the Leverton School in Waltham Abbey, revealed that Hoare exploited his position of authority. Despite the serious nature of the allegations, Hoare used his reputation as a highly regarded teacher—known for his ability to turn around difficult schools—to dismiss concerns and convince the parents of the girls that he was innocent. This strategy effectively branded the young victims as liars, complicating efforts to hold him accountable.

Initially, Hoare avoided prosecution due to insufficient evidence. However, a renewed police investigation was launched last year after a former pupil came forward with allegations. When summoned for an interview at Leyton police station in January, Hoare failed to attend. Instead, he was later found in a hotel, where he had attempted to take his own life. Subsequently, he was charged with seven counts of indecent assault against girls under 14. Despite being on bail, Hoare failed to answer bail on April 9, but he later surrendered himself following a Crimewatch appeal broadcast to locate him.

Judge Simon Wilkinson sentenced Hoare to serve two consecutive 15-month sentences for two of the assaults, along with three nine-month sentences for the remaining offenses, all to be served concurrently. Additionally, Hoare will be registered on the sex offenders register for life, reflecting the severity of his crimes. In his sentencing remarks, Judge Wilkinson emphasized the gravity of Hoare’s actions, stating, “You expressly admitted that your conduct was persistent. You were either their teacher or head teacher and your conduct constituted a gross breach of trust.”

Outside the court, Detective Constable Jenny Shepherd of the Woodford Child Protection Unit praised the bravery of the victims, stating, “The result reflects the bravery of the victims. Those who have suffered similar ordeals should now be encouraged to report these crimes.”

In response, a spokesperson for the local council reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding children, saying, “The highest standards of professional behaviour are expected from everyone working with young children. Our policies are based on national guidance and all staff are fully aware of the standards of behaviour expected of them, which explicitly includes that ‘touching’ children is simply not acceptable.”