A FORMER teacher at a Hereford boarding school has admitted sexual activity with a child by someone in a position of trust.
Colin Wilkes, a former teacher at Hereford Cathedral School, appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Thursday where he admitted a string of sexual offences against a single victim over a decade ago.
The 57-year-old former art teacher of Wyevale Way, Stretton Sugwas, Hereford, near Hereford admitted five counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust. Some of the counts on the indictment contained ‘multiple incident counts’ which means that, though there is a single charge, it reflects activity that took place on more than one occasion.
The first count involved kissing the girl when she was under the age of 18 (17 years old). The second count was a ‘like offence’ also involving sexual activity, touching her intimately ‘on at least three occasions’.
The third count involved sexual activity using his fingers on at least three occasions, the fourth involved oral sex being performed upon him on at least three occasions and the fifth count involved full sex on at least three occasions.
Mark Thompson, defending, asked a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the probation service. He said the maximum sentence for each offence is five years in prison.
The barrister told the court the sexual activity described had been consensual and, though what happened was unlawful, there had been ‘no violence or assault’ and no suggestion of ill-treatment. He accepted there were ‘some factual disagreement’ between what Mr Wilkes says happened and what the complainant had alleged, including where and when certain incidents took place.
Wilkes will be sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, September 4.
He was granted bail on condition he has no contact, either directly or indirectly, with the complainant and remains at his home address which was read out in court.
Because he now stands convicted he must also register as a sex offender and is subject to notification requirements. He must inform police of his name, address and date of birth within three days.
Judge Martin Jackson adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the probation service but said his decision to adjourn ‘isn’t a promise of the sort of sentence you’re likely to receive at the end of this case’.
He warned Wilkes: “You need to be prepared to receive a sentence of immediate imprisonment.”
