IAN ATKINSON FROM BROMPTON ON REGIS SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE AT RIPON AND HAMPSHIRE SCHOOLS

In January 2018, Ian Atkinson, a former deputy headmaster of a church school, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a series of disturbing sexual offenses committed against teenage boys at two different boarding schools. The crimes took place while Atkinson was serving in positions of authority, exploiting the trust placed in him by vulnerable students.

Ian Atkinson, who hails from Brompton on Regis in Somerset and was previously based in Staveley, Ripon, was found guilty of nine separate charges involving two boys under the age of 14. These offenses occurred at Ripon Cathedral Choir School in North Yorkshire during the early 2000s, a school that eventually closed its doors in 2012. The abuse was carried out under the guise of providing 'therapy' to the victims, a pretext that concealed Atkinson’s true intentions for his own perverted gratification.

Further investigations by law enforcement revealed that Atkinson had committed similar acts against another boy while he was employed at a different boarding school in Hampshire approximately ten years earlier. The police inquiry uncovered a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior spanning multiple institutions and over a significant period of time.

In addition to the sexual abuse charges, Ian Atkinson was convicted of downloading child sexual abuse images, adding to the gravity of his criminal record. During the trial, Judge David Hatton QC described Atkinson’s actions as a betrayal of the trust placed in him by his victims. The judge emphasized that Atkinson had exploited his position of authority, gaining the boys’ respect and then cynically abusing that trust repeatedly behind a facade of respectability.

Judge Hatton condemned Atkinson’s conduct, stating, “The boys trusted you. You gained their respect. You were in a position of authority. You cynically abused that trust with frequency and behind a facade of respectability.” The judge also remarked on the broader impact of Atkinson’s actions, noting that such behavior had brought disgrace upon the teaching profession.

As part of his sentencing, Ian Atkinson was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was placed under an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. These measures are intended to protect the public from any future risk posed by him and to ensure ongoing monitoring of his conduct.