TERENCE BACK, BEXHILL-ON-SEA AND WATFORD PERVERT, JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF THREE PUPILS

In a case that has shocked the local communities of Bexhill-on-Sea and Watford, a 72-year-old man named Terence Peter Back has been sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing three young pupils during his time as a teacher. The offences, which took place decades ago, have only recently come to light, leading to a conviction that underscores the gravity of his actions.

Back, who resides on Rookhurst Road in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, was employed at Kingsway Junior School in Watford and Whitehall Junior School in Uxbridge during the 1970s and 1980s. Despite denying any wrongdoing, a jury at Isleworth Crown Court found him guilty of multiple counts of indecent assault against three former pupils. The assaults involved inappropriate physical contact, including pulling down clothing and smacking the children’s bottoms, acts that constitute serious breaches of trust and abuse of authority.

The court heard that the abuse was committed over a period spanning several years, with the victims aged between eight and eleven at the time. The offences did not come to police attention until one of the victims came forward in 2013, revealing the details of the abuse that had occurred decades earlier. This delayed disclosure highlights the long-lasting impact such abuse can have on victims, often only surfacing many years after the events.

Following his conviction in July, Back was sentenced to six years in prison. He appealed the sentence, but the Court of Appeal, comprising Lord Justice Beatson, Mr Justice Haddon-Cave, and Judge Geoffrey Marson QC, unanimously upheld the original sentence, stating it was well-deserved given the severity of the offences. Mr Justice Haddon-Cave emphasized that this case represented a grave breach of trust, noting, “This was the gravest abuse of trust. He was a teacher in the schools in which he preyed on these three children.”

The judge further explained that the victims’ impact was significant, and the multiple counts related to each of the three victims underscored the seriousness of the case. The legal representatives for Back argued that the sentence was excessive, but the court maintained that six years was “just and proportionate” considering the nature of the crimes and their lasting effects. The appeal was ultimately refused, reaffirming the court’s stance on the importance of holding offenders accountable for such serious misconduct.