Former Surrey teacher convicted of further child sexual assaults in Woking
A former teacher at a Catholic school in Woking has been convicted of carrying out further sexual assaults on a boy in the 1980s, adding to earlier convictions for abusing pupils at the same school.
A former teacher at a school in Woking has been found guilty of a series of sexual assaults on a child committed more than 30 years ago.
Jonathan Marshall, 75, who worked at St Dunstan’s Middle Catholic School in Surrey, targeted the boy between the ages of eight and 10 during the late 1980s.
The victim told the court the abuse took place on multiple occasions, mainly inside a neighbouring church, and once after he was driven away from the school to a deserted property.
He said he felt “intense panic” when he realised he was too small to fight off two men during one of the assaults. The second man involved has since died.
The offences were reported in 2021, when the victim disclosed what had happened to him as a child.
Catherine Wear, a senior crown prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Marshall is an appalling sexual predator who subjected the young victim to horrendous and repeated sexual abuse.
“He took full advantage of his position of authority, telling the child that no-one would believe him because he was ‘just a little boy’.”
She said the victim described feeling threatened and controlled, and that Marshall warned him he would get into trouble if he spoke about the abuse.
Ms Wear added: “Stories were found on Marshall’s laptop from a website specialising in sexual interest in children, and these included chillingly similar details to the abuse described by the victim.
“Despite the threats made many years ago, the victim’s bravery in coming forward has ensured the defendant has now been brought to justice.”
Marshall was convicted following a trial at Kingston Crown Court. He was found guilty of nine charges of indecent assault on a male, three charges of buggery and one charge of indecency with a child.
The offences predate the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which is why the charges were brought under earlier legislation.
Marshall changed his name by deed poll in 2017, having previously been known as John Lillis.
In 2013, under his former name, he was jailed for six years after being convicted of attempted rape and multiple indecent assaults involving two other pupils.