Jury Finds Ex-carmel College Teacher Guilty of Remaining Sex Abuse Charges

By Josh Jackman
The JC
October 22, 2015

http://www.thejc.com/node/147821

Former Carmel College Trevor Bolton has been found guilty of all 25 counts of sexual assaulting students at a Jewish boarding school.

The jury at Oxford Crown Court returned a majority guilty verdict on four remaining counts on Thursday, having already convicted Bolton on 21 counts of abusing boys aged 11 to 15 at the Oxfordshire school College over a 20-year period.

The abuse, committed between 1968 and 1988, included 16 counts of indecent assault on a male person, six counts of indecency with a child and three other serious sexual offences.

Bolton was remanded in custody, with sentencing expected on Friday.

Detective Sergeant Trish Coyne, of Oxfordshire Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “I would like to thank the bravery and patience of the victims in this case. They have waited a long time to see justice be done.

“While the offences took place some time ago, and despite the fact that Bolton’s eight victims are successful individuals, every single one of them has admitted the offences have had an impact on them well into their adult lives.

“He was in a position of trust with these children and he abused that trust in the worst way possible.

“I would like to say to both victims and perpetrators that it does not matter how long ago these offences took place, we will investigate them and bring offenders to justice.”

Adrian Foster, chief crown prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service said that as a housemaster at the school, Bolton had "abused his position of trust and took advantage of his status to systematically prey on vulnerable or homesick young boys by inviting them to his flat to watch TV and smoke. He then abused them for his own sexual gratification.

"It is only due to the great courage of the victims that the despicable behaviour of this man has been exposed. I would like to pay tribute to them for their strength and tenacity in coming forward.

“The conviction serves as an important message to people who have been the victim of such crimes or those that know such crimes are being committed, that they should come forward and that time is no barrier to justice.

“The emotional impact, on the victims and their families, of the abhorrent actions of this man is impossible to quantify. I hope that the conviction gives some small comfort to them. Our thoughts are very much with them all at this time.”