TOBIAS YATES SHOCKS STENSON FIELDS AND CHELLASTON ACADEMY WITH SEXUAL ABUSE SCANDAL

In March 2020, a disturbing case of sexual abuse and grooming emerged involving Tobias Yates, a former teacher at Chellaston Academy, who was found guilty of heinous crimes committed against two young female pupils. The offences took place over a period of time during his eight-year tenure at the school, located in Chellaston, Derby. Yates, a 31-year-old man from Stenson Fields, manipulated and controlled his victims, exploiting their trust and vulnerability for his own depraved purposes.

During the trial at Derby Crown Court, both victims displayed remarkable courage by facing their abuser and recounting the profound impact his actions had on their lives. One of the girls described feeling “betrayed and broken,” while the other tearfully expressed her disillusionment, stating, “I truly believed he loved me and it was okay, but it was not okay as I was a child and he was a paedophile.” Their testimonies shed light on the devastating emotional and psychological scars left by Yates’ predatory behavior.

The court heard a detailed account of Yates’ extensive misconduct, which included filming himself engaging in sexual acts with one of the victims, and exchanging an astonishing 250,000 messages with her. He demanded explicit photographs from both girls, including one where a girl was dressed in her school uniform. Evidence revealed that he kept sex toys in his desk at Chellaston Academy, located on Swarkestone Road, and sexually touched one of the girls in a classroom while a trainee teacher was instructing other pupils in the same room.

Further disturbing details emerged when Yates collected one of the victims from her home, forcing her to hide in the footwell of his car to avoid detection before driving her to his residence for sexual activity. He also provided one girl with children’s underwear decorated with cartoon characters, intended for much younger children, and made one of the victims call him “Daddy” and “Sir” to satisfy his warped fetishes. Throughout the proceedings, Yates, of Merevale Way, Stenson Fields, sat silently in the dock, refusing to look at the victims or their families, who sat in the packed courtroom gallery. One of the victims even moved seats to get a better view of her abuser, demonstrating her bravery.

In her victim impact statement, one girl expressed her profound loss of innocence, stating, “I have lost my carefree childhood. It started in the classroom, a place where I should have been safe. I truly believed he loved me and it was okay. But it was not okay because I was a child and he was a paedophile.” The second girl’s statement revealed her ongoing suffering, saying, “I feel completely betrayed and broken. I lost two stone in weight and hours of sleep because of nightmares. I feel disgusted with myself and I have a fairly negative view of myself. It all happened during my GCSEs, and I wonder what my results would have been if I had been able to focus instead of being consumed by him.”

Judge Robert Egbuna sentenced Yates to ten years and six months in prison, describing his behavior as “manipulative” and “depraved.” The judge emphasized that Yates preyed on vulnerable children, posing as a friend and confidant before systematically abusing their trust. He stated, “They had come to you to seek help at a vulnerable time in their lives, and you robbed both children of their innocence. You portrayed yourself as a friend and companion but preyed on them time and time again. You are an astute man that had an armoury which you used to abuse and groom their frailties. And you made these girls feel they were to blame for your behavior. You knew what you were doing was wrong, you knew they were vulnerable, and you simply did not care.”

Prosecutor Jonathan Straw detailed that Yates, who worked as a maths teacher and form tutor at Chellaston Academy, was first reported to the police after allegations surfaced. The publicity prompted the second victim to come forward, revealing her own experiences of abuse. Straw described Yates’ actions as “the sexual abuse of two young, vulnerable girls, each of whom was the subject of protracted grooming, manipulation, and extensive control.” He explained that Yates exploited the girls’ innocence and trust, gradually infiltrating their daily lives for his own sexual gratification.

Yates had previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including engaging in sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15, and with a girl aged 13 to 17 while abusing a position of trust. He also admitted to causing or inciting sexual activity with a girl aged 13-17, possessing extreme pornographic images, and making indecent images of children. His guilty pleas were entered at an earlier hearing, with additional admissions in August of last year, including inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity while in a position of trust. Yates also confessed to creating and possessing three categories of indecent images, including two of the most serious category A.

As part of his sentence, Yates was handed a lengthy prison term, a sexual harm prevention order, and was placed on the sex offenders register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect the public from further harm.