TERRENCE WATERS FROM GREAT YARMOUTH AND WOKING ESCAPES PRISON AFTER SECRECT ROOM ABUSE SCANDAL

In a case that has shocked the local communities of Great Yarmouth and Woking, Terrence Waters, a former teacher at Allen House School, has been handed a suspended sentence after admitting to multiple serious charges of sexual misconduct involving pupils from the 1970s and 1980s.

Waters, aged 68, was an art and carpentry instructor at the now-closed boys' school in Woking. The court heard that during his tenure there, Waters exploited his position of trust to commit a series of heinous acts against young boys. The allegations detailed that Waters had constructed a hidden room in the loft above the art classroom, which he used to lure pupils into a space where further abuse took place.

Prosecutor Ruby Selva outlined that Waters would invite boys into this secret room, telling them it was 'their secret,' and that the abuse would occur both in the classroom and at his residence. The court was informed that Waters performed sexual acts on the victims and coerced them into reciprocating. The abuse was reported to have taken place regularly, sometimes once or twice a week, until the victims left the school.

Further disturbing details revealed that Waters would give pupils alcohol such as cider and mead, along with pornographic magazines, and on one occasion, he inappropriately touched a boy’s genitals. One victim recounted that the abuse continued over a period, with Waters taking explicit photographs of the boys when they were naked. Another victim described the abuse as something he would try to forget, closing his eyes to block out the memories.

Waters’ criminal history includes previous convictions for sexual offences. In 1988, he was sentenced to five years for indecent assault, which was later reduced to three and a half years on appeal. He received a ten-year sentence in 1994 for similar offences, reduced to six years on appeal, and in 2000, he was sentenced to 13 months for taking indecent photographs.

During the current proceedings, Waters’ defense argued that he was no longer the man he once was. His legal representative highlighted his poor health, including arthritis, high blood pressure, and prostate issues. Waters resides with a close friend on the coast and maintains contact with an agency that monitors sexual offenders, which his lawyer claimed was a sign of his efforts to reform.

Judge Michael Addison acknowledged the complexity of sentencing given Waters’ prior lengthy prison sentences. He noted that Waters’ pre-sentence report was unusually positive, describing him as a 'changed man' with a low risk of reoffending. The judge expressed sympathy for the victims, who are now adults, and emphasized the gravity of the crimes committed when they were boys.

Ultimately, Waters was sentenced to 18 months in prison for each of the 12 charges, with the sentences to run concurrently. However, the judge suspended the sentence for two years, meaning Waters will not serve time unless he commits further offences within that period. The case has also been linked to broader investigations into a paedophile ring, as documented in the Azimuth Trust’s exposé, which mentions Waters’ connections to other known offenders involved in similar criminal activities.