WALTER BEAL'S SHOCKING ABUSE IN ANDOVER, CRAWLEY, AND EAST GRINSTEAD REVEALED

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Andover, Crawley, and East Grinstead, Walter Beal, a former school teacher, has been sentenced to three years in prison for a series of heinous sexual offenses committed against young boys over a span of more than two decades.

Beal, aged 63 and residing on Chetwood Road in Bewbush, Crawley, was found guilty of molesting three young boys while he was employed as a music instructor at two private boarding schools. His crimes took place during his tenure as director of music at Stoke Brunswick Prep School in East Grinstead and Redrise School in Andover, Hampshire.

The details of his misconduct reveal a disturbing pattern of abuse intertwined with his role as a music teacher. One of his victims was subjected to trips in Beal’s MG sports car and flights aboard his Cessna light aircraft, all while enduring ongoing sexual abuse. Another young boy was forced to sit on Beal’s knee during Bible reading sessions, during which the teacher would fondle him. A third victim was manipulated through a disturbing game involving counting mistakes made while Beal played the organ, with the teacher undoing buttons on his shirt to molest him.

Beal, who was known to wear glasses and was a qualified flying instructor, had retired from teaching in 1979. Despite his retirement, his criminal activities remained hidden until 1997, when two former students, now in their 30s, independently approached the police, unable to cope with the trauma of their childhood experiences. Their courageous actions prompted an international investigation involving law enforcement agencies such as Interpol and the New York Police Department, who worked tirelessly to locate witnesses living across the globe.

The investigation ultimately led to Beal’s conviction on nine counts of indecent assault and three counts of indecency with boys in his care, spanning from 1974 to 1978. During his time at the schools, Beal was also responsible for leading the choir and orchestras, teaching instruments including the piano, recorder, and organ.

The abuse began at Stoke Brunswick, where Beal was employed from 1974 until December 1976. It was during choir practice that he first molested a 13-year-old boy in his private quarters during scripture reading sessions. Later, at Redrise School, where he worked from 1977 to 1979, he abused a 15-year-old boy during one-on-one organ lessons. A third boy, who was described by Beal as one of his best music students, was repeatedly molested from the age of ten to thirteen, even after Beal helped him secure a scholarship to his second school. During a school holiday, Beal took this boy to stay at his brother’s house in Stratford-upon-Avon and persuaded him to engage in oral sex. The teacher also took the boy on flights over Biggin Hill in Kent, during which he would kiss him, as revealed in court.

Throughout the trial, Beal maintained his innocence, insisting that he never engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with any of the boys. He told the jury, “I have racked my brains over the last year since this cropped up to find an explanation. It’s a teacher’s absolute worst nightmare, this sort of thing happening, but I don’t know any reason why they would say this. I did not abuse them. I knew they were quite fond of me and I was quite fond of them but I thought it was a normal, reasonable relationship.”

Despite his claims of innocence and his previous good character, the jury rejected his defense after a three-day trial, unanimously convicting him of all charges. Beal’s involvement in flying was also scrutinized, with him denying any inappropriate behavior during flights, asserting, “When you are flying an aircraft you have not got time to mess around, not if you want to stay alive.”

Judge Richard Hayward, presiding over the case, sentenced Beal to three years in prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender indefinitely. The judge emphasized the vulnerability of the victims, stating, “These boys were away from their parents, they were vulnerable and impressionable, and you abused that trust in a most grievous way. The evidence against you was overwhelming. Those who have care of children, whether school masters, Scout masters, or choir masters, must understand that if they abuse their position of trust, they will face a custodial sentence.”