SOHAM TEACHER ROBERT HOWIESON SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IN CAMBRIDGE COURT

In April 2004, a former educator from Soham Village College was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to multiple counts of indecent assault involving two young boys. Robert Howieson, aged 56, who previously taught chemistry at the school where notorious child killer Ian Huntley once served as caretaker, appeared before Cambridge Crown Court to face sentencing following his guilty pleas.

The court proceedings revealed that Howieson, who was employed at Soham Village College from 1975 until 1982, had committed heinous acts against two boys aged 12 and 14 during his tenure. The first assault took place in July 1980, in the chemistry laboratory of the school. The victim, a 12-year-old boy, was taken on a training run organized by a hill-walking club that Howieson managed at the school. After the run, Howieson, who had removed his clothing to dry off, engaged in an indecent act on the boy. Subsequently, he coerced the young victim into performing a similar act on him, an act which the court described as a grave breach of trust.

The second victim, a boy aged 14, was assaulted over a period of several weeks in 1982. During this time, Howieson used physical punishment, hitting the boy with a belt as a form of discipline for causing trouble at school. These repeated offenses further underscored the teacher’s abuse of authority and trust.

Judge Jonathan Howarth, presiding over the case, condemned Howieson’s actions, emphasizing the severity of his betrayal. He stated, “You were a school teacher in a position of absolute trust and you abused that trust. You were in the position to abuse for your own gratification.” The judge also noted that while some might consider the offenses to be at the lower end of the scale, the methods employed by Howieson were more subtle than overt physical contact, exploiting his authority as an educator.

He further added, “These are serious offences because of the grave breach of trust and the deception involved.” As part of his sentence, Howieson was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years and was permanently disqualified from working with children in any capacity. The case highlights the disturbing breach of trust by a man entrusted with the education and well-being of young students in Soham, a town already marked by its tragic history.