Former teacher jailed for sexual abuse of boys

A former teacher and house master has been jailed for 11 years after being found guilty of a string of sex offences against boys.

Bruce Roth, of Alderman Willey Close, Wokingham, was found guilty of 17 sexual offences against five boys who were in his care at King’s School in Rochester Kent, and Wellington College, Crowthorne, between 1987 and 2009.

He was sentenced on Monday at Reading Crown Court.

The boys were all aged between eight and 15 when the abuse took place.

The 46-year-old was arrested in October 2010 after one of the victims reported the abuse.

An investigation was launched and a further four victims came forward.

Detective Constable Stephen Middleweek, of the Child Abuse Investigation Unit based at Windsor, said: “This has been a long and complex investigation, which has resulted in five victims coming forward to report the abuse Roth subjected them to.

“Roth was in a position of trust and abused this position to target young boys, touching them in their beds, in his classroom and his living quarters.

“I would like to pay tribute to the victims; the bravery they have shown has been remarkable considering the ordeal they have been through. I hope the result will go some way towards helping them put this traumatic experience behind them.”

Baljit Ubhey OBE, Chief Crown Prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “Bruce Roth was a trusted teacher at the schools where the complainants were pupils. The young age of the victims greatly increases the seriousness of the offences.

“It was only due to the great courage of all the victims that Mr Roth’s abuse was brought to light, and the full extent of his behaviour revealed.”