Paedophile teacher jailed for sex assaults on boys

A former teacher has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for a string of sex assaults at a children's home in the 1970s.

Roland Simmons, from Chartham in Kent, taught at Guestling House in Hastings, East Sussex, when the offences took place against four victims in care at the property.

The 77-year-old, who denied the charges against him, was convicted at Lewes Crown Court of 10 charges of indecent assault on a boy under 16 at Lewes Crown Court in April.

Previously the Crown Prosecution Service's Catherine Wear said: "Simmons was supposed to be caring for these boys, but instead he abused the trust placed in him, knowing that the boys would struggle to speak out and report what was happening to them."

Wear said one of the victims woke up to find Simmons abusing him and the former teacher then claimed that he had been dreaming.

Another victim, she added, dubbed Simmons "persistent" after he first abused him, saying he would ask him to go out in his car alone, but he kept refusing.

"The trauma of sexual abuse can stop victims from making complaints for many years, but these men had the courage to come forward and report what happened to them, and by doing so have ensured that Simmons has been brought to justice for his appalling crimes," Wear said.

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