This former teacher indecently assaulted one of his pupils at the West Sussex school where he taught

Jonathan O'Brien, 61, formerly of Bosham, West Sussex was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty to two counts of indecent assault. 

The offences were committed in 1992 when he worked at Seaford College near Petworth, West Sussex.

His victim – a boy then in his his mid-teens – was a pupil at the time.

O’Brien was sentenced to a total of 30 months imprisonment, to run concurrently with a previously imposed sentence of 13 years for separate offences, not involving Seaford College.

The prosecution, authorised by the CPS, followed an investigation by detectives from the West Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit.

Two other counts of indecent assault on the same boy, to which O'Brien pleaded not guilty, were not proceeded with by the prosecution and will lay on the court file.

Police emphasise that the school has provided full co-operation during this investigation and that the events concerned are completely unconnected with the current or recent management of the school or pupils.

PC Yvonne Daddow said: ‘This offending came to light when the victim contacted us for the first time in 2017. Having courageously come forward he supported our investigation and was ready to give evidence in court if necessary.

‘It became clear that O'Brien had used an allegedly mutual interest in computers to in effect gradually 'groom' the boy into sexual activity, in O'Brien's study at the school and his home in Oxfordshire.

‘The boy kept the distressing experiences to himself for more than 20 years until an chance family discussion to some media coverage on the general subject of sexual offending triggered him into coming forward.

‘This case is another example of the way in which we will always take such reports seriously, no matter how long ago they relate to, and will seek to help achieve justice for victims wherever possible.

‘If you have been subject to sexual offending, or know someone who has, you contact us at any time on line (link to be added or by calling 101, and arrange to talk in confidence to experienced investigators.’

O'Brien is already serving a 13-year sentence imposed at Chichester Crown Court in May 2014 following an investigation by West Mercia Police into similar offences against boys at schools where he taught in Worcestershire and Oxfordshire between 1980 and 1989.

As a result of that 2014 sentence he is already on the Sex Offenders Register for life and will remain subject of a Sexual Offence Prevention Order (SOPO) imposed at the same time in 2014, severely restricting his contact with any children until further court order.