Former school teacher John Blackman jailed for sexually abusing boys
A former school headteacher has
been jailed for 12 months for sexually abusing boys almost 40 years
ago.
After leaving Penshurst CE Primary
School, John Blackman moved to the north and became a Catholic
priest. He has since retired.
His crimes finally caught up with him
when his two victims complained about the abuse that took place in
the early 1970s.
Maidstone Crown Court heard Blackman,
now 75, became head of the school for children up to the age of 11
in the late 1960s.
Edmund Fowler, prosecuting, said one
of the victims contacted another former teacher at the school in
2007 and revealed what had happened to him.
He had discovered Blackman was a
clergyman in Ripon, North Yorkshire, and wrote to the bishop there
about the abuse.
He told police Blackman asked him to
stay behind and read to him. He was then touched over his
shorts.
He told the boy: "You won't tell
anyone about our secret reading sessions, will you? Keep it a
secret just between us."
The prosecutor said it was accepted
the assaults happened more than once.
The boy told his horrified parents and
his furious father contacted Blackman. He promised nothing further
would happen.
Mr Fowler said Blackman behaved in a
similar way with the other boy after asking him to remain behind
and read to him.
But this time Blackman undid his own
trousers and got the boy to touch him.
Blackman, of Ripon, at first denied
all the allegations but then admitted one charge of indecency with
a child and one of indecent assault.
Judge Philip St John-Stevens said
Blackman held a position of responsibility and children were
entrusted to his care.
"You abused that position of trust,"
he said. "Both these boys still live with the crime you committed
on them.
"Although these are old offences, they
cannot be overlooked. They are serious offences."
Blackman's name will appear on sex
offenders' register for 10 years.
Monday, November 23 2009