Former deputy headmaster jailed for indecently assaulting boys on school trips

Police fear that the paedophile abused more victims who have not come forward

Anthony Roy Dowsing, 69 (04.03.45), of West Meadow Road, Braunton, Devon (Met Police)

A former deputy headmaster who assaulted boys on school camping trips has been jailed.

Anthony Dowsing, 69, was sentenced to four years in prison at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

He had pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting boys as young as seven and possessing child pornography.

Dowsing, of Braunton in Devon, committed the offences in the 1970s and 1980s, when he was the deputy headmaster of Hayes Park Junior School in west London.

The crimes were first reported to police in 2013, when a man came forward about being assaulted as a child during a school trip 35 years ago.

An investigation was launched by the Metropolitan Police’s child abuse unit, which led to a further three victims being identified.

They were aged between seven and 10 at the time of the attacks from 1976 to 1985.

Dowsing was arrested in April last year and during a search of his home, police discovered a “large quantity” of indecent images of children on his computer.

The photos ranged from the lowest level of illegal pornography to the highest and most serious category, which can include depictions of sex with adults, sadism and bestiality.

Police are worried that there may be more victims yet to come forward that Dowsing had encountered at children’s clubs and charities around London.

Detective Constable Kate McDuff said Dowsing had used his “position of trust” as a deputy headteacher to abuse vulnerable children.

She added: “We commend the actions of all four brave victims who have come forward to report Dowsing's sickening actions.

“We take all allegations of child abuse and sexual assault extremely seriously regardless of how long ago the offences took place.

“Dowsing is known to have worked with a number of children's clubs and charities in the London area and there may be further victims of his abuse who we would urge to come forward and speak to us."