A FORMER teacher at an Oxfordshire school who preyed on teenage boys has been jailed for seven years.

Roger Kerr was convicted of “lewd acts” with three boys, including indecently assaulting two of them while massaging them at his home after they played squash. In another incident, the then-assistant headteacher at Wheatley Park School kissed a teenage boy who he said he thought was gay.

As Kerr was jailed, one of his victims – who is in his 20s – said having to relive the trauma for the trial at Aylesbury Crown Court had been highly stressful.

Kerr, 52, who now lives in Surbiton, Surrey, and runs a tree surgery business, carried out the assaults between 1999 and 2002.

Jailing him at Aylesbury Crown Court on Thursday, Judge Kristina Montgomery said the boys and their families were “utterly and totally betrayed” by him.

One of the boys, who was 17 at the time and is now in his 20s, said it had been highly stressful to relive the trauma in front of strangers during Kerr’s trial.

He said: “I was accused of being homophobic, of low to average intelligence, of being immature, a colluder and a liar.”

Kerr had indecently assaulted the teenager after playing squash with him. He bought him alcohol and then offered to massage his back. It was during this massage that Kerr touched the boy sexually.

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The victim said he was glad Kerr was convicted but added: “The fact remains that I am left with the memory of the incident for life.”

Kerr, of Surbiton Park Hill, stared straight ahead throughout the hearing and showed no emotion when sentenced. He worked at the school from September 1989 to September 2002 and was described a “highly respected and highly valued” teacher there.

He had also been in charge of geography and continuing education.

However the court heard he had “thrown away his talent”.

Judge Montgomery said of his victims: “Each of them speaks of the long-lasting effect of your behaviour towards them and how easily they might not have achieved that which they have done.”

Kerr was jailed for three years for both of the indecent assaults where he massaged the boys and 12 months for the incident where he kissed a boy.

He will be placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and was given a Sexual Offenders’ Prevention Order for 10 years.

Current headteacher at Wheatley Park School Kate Curtis said: “We are extremely vigilant about the safety of young people in our care, and we did everything we could to contribute to this investigation.”

Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for education Melinda Tilley said she was shocked by the assaults.

She said: “My reaction is the same as anyone else in these cases, and he is where he belongs.

“I think children at Oxfordshire schools are, in general, safe, and most schools take safeguarding children very seriously.”

 

 

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