School's 'father figure' banned after sexual abuse

A teacher described as a "father figure" has been banned from the classroom after sexually abusing pupils more than 30 years ago.

A Teaching Regulation Agency panel heard evidence from five ex-pupils of the Greenwood School, a former boarding school for girls in Halstead, Essex, where Christopher Charlton taught PE and maths between 1986 and 1993.

Mr Charlton, 65, denied the allegations against him or that he brought the teaching profession into disrepute.

However, the panel in its report found most of the allegations were proven and he was permanently banned from teaching in England.

The panel heard evidence in June and July and found all the allegations were proved, except those raised by one pupil because of inconsistencies in her evidence.

According to the report, a police investigation began after a number of pupils said they had been sexually assaulted by Mr Charlton, but the police decided to take no further action.

One pupil said they found Mr Charlton overly friendly and described him as "a good-looking teacher" who was "fancied" by a lot of pupils.

She said the years of abuse started when Mr Charlton rubbed against her and laid on top of her when she was on the grass.

When she did not report the incident, his touching became "more frequent and intimate", she added.

The same pupil said Mr Charlton had been regarded as a "father figure" throughout the school, which had fewer than 100 pupils.

One victim recalled him telling her she was a "little minx and that she had been sent by the devil to tempt him away from his wife" after being encouraged to touch his penis.

She told the panel Mr Charlton was renowned for giving "special cuddles" where he would push his genitals against pupils.

Another former pupil described him as "flirtatious" and "touchy feely".

The TRA panel's Sarah Buxcey said: "The findings of misconduct are particularly serious as they include findings which involved sexual abuse of vulnerable pupils."

The school closed in 1999.

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