Sexual abuse against pupils - 'Father figure' teacher banned

Home » News & Knowledge » Greenwood School: ‘Father figure’ teacher banned after historic sexual abuse against pupils

A teacher once described as a “father figure” has been permanently banned from teaching after sexually abusing students more than three decades ago.

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) reviewed evidence from five former students of Greenwood School, a former girls’ boarding school in Halstead, Essex, where Christopher Charlton taught physical education and mathematics from 1986 to 1993.

Sexual abuse against pupils

Charlton, now 65, denied the allegations and rejected claims that he had brought the teaching profession into disrepute. However, the panel found most of the accusations credible, resulting in a lifetime teaching ban across England.

The panel, which convened in June and July, ruled that most of the charges were proven, with the exception of allegations raised by one pupil due to inconsistencies in her testimony.

According to the report, a police investigation was launched after several students came forward with allegations of sexual assault against Charlton. Despite this, police did not pursue further legal action.

One former pupil described Charlton as “overly friendly,” noting that many students considered him a “good-looking teacher” who was popular among the girls. She recounted how the abuse began when he rubbed against her and lay on top of her while she was lying on the grass. When she didn’t report the incident, the inappropriate touching escalated in frequency and intimacy.

The same pupil also mentioned that Charlton was viewed as a “father figure” throughout the school, which had fewer than 100 students.

Another victim recalled an incident in which Charlton told her she was a “little minx” who had been “sent by the devil to tempt him away from his wife” after coercing her into touching his genitals. This pupil noted that Charlton was infamous for giving what were referred to as “special cuddles,” during which he would press his genitals against students.

Other former students described Charlton as “flirtatious” and “inappropriately touchy.”

Sarah Buxcey, chair of the TRA panel, stated: “These findings are particularly serious, as they involve the sexual abuse of vulnerable pupils.”

Greenwood School closed in 1999.

Greenwood School, Halstead – Compensation for abuse

School environments should be safe and happy where children and young people can learn and develop in a positive environment.

Children spend a huge amount of time in education and when we have negative experiences at school this can have devastating effects that stay with us into adulthood.

Unfortunately, abuse in schools is not uncommon and still happens today. While the general public has increased awareness about abuse and those employed in schools are subject to more vigorous safeguarding checks than they were in the past, abuse still happens.

There are also many people who have still not come forward to report abuse that happened to them at school, college or even university. If you have suffered abuse at school, you may be entitled to claim compensation for the damages.

I am a parent and my child has suffered abuse at school recently. Can a claim be made now?

Yes. As the parent, you will be able to deal with the claim on behalf of your child. When a person under 18 brings a compensation claim, they need to have what is known as a ‘Litigation Friend’.

If any compensation is recovered, it will in almost all cases be held by the Court in a special account until the child reaches 18.

Can I still claim for abuse at a private school or a boarding school?

Yes. The law applies equally to both the public and private sectors.

I was a troublemaker at school and my record might reflect this. Will it go against me?

Certainly not! It is not unusual for a child or young person at school who is suffering abuse to ‘go off the rails’ or for their school performance or behaviour to decline.

Evidence of this in your records can often support your case if the timing fits with when you say the abuse was happening.

The abuse happened many years ago and I do not know if my old school even exists anymore?

Some claims for abuse in education are brought many years after the abuse occurred. It is part of our job to investigate the school and establish whether it still exists.

Sometimes educational establishments change their name, have a change of ownership or move to a different address.

It may be that the school closed many years ago and the building has been demolished, but this does not necessarily mean that you cannot claim.

Our solicitors are experienced in investigating historic abuse claims. We will undertake thorough enquiries to work out who the claim should be brought against and to obtain the information we need to pursue the case.

How to make an abuse claim

This area of the law is highly specialised, and it is important to have a solicitor who has experience pursuing claims for compensation for sexual and physical abuse and assault.

Whilst these claims are personal injury claims, there are many aspects that differ from general personal injury claims.

Oakwood Solicitors has lawyers who between them have over 20 years of experience in recovering compensation for survivors of abuse. You can contact us for a free no-obligation chat. We will advise you whether you are eligible to make a claim and the likely level of damages.

If you decide to pursue the claim we will do all the work for you, keeping you informed at every stage.

Who can make a claim?

If you suffered sexual or physical abuse in the UK you may be able to pursue a claim.

It does not matter if the abuse occurred many years ago. If the person who suffered abuse is under 18, the claim can be brought by a parent or close relative.

Similarly, if the person who was abused is unable to speak to us due to old age or disability, a close family member can seek advice for them.

How long will my case run?

Generally a civil claim for abuse or assaults can be concluded within 6-12 months. We will provide you with regular updates as your claim progresses.

Once we have been able to asses your case, we will give you an idea at the outset of the likely timescale.

It will very much depend on what evidence we need to gather, who we are bringing the claim against and also whether the claim can be settled without court proceedings.

Will I have to face my abuser?

It is very unlikely that you will have to face your abuser, either in court or at any point in the claim. Most claims are brought against the institution or organisation rather than the individual abuser themselves.

The claim will be handled by the organisation’s insurers or solicitors. It is unusual for the person who abused you to have to give evidence in a civil case.

How much compensation will I receive?

Each claim is different. We will assess your claim and give you an idea at the outset of the likely compensation you can expect to receive.

A civil claim for sexual or physical abuse can include the following types of compensation:

General damages – An award of money for the abuse/assaults themselves and for the pain, suffering and any psychological effects.
Special damages – An award for any specific financial losses we can prove, such as loss of earnings or the costs of any treatment or counselling.
Aggravated damages – An additional award of money in certain cases where the court considers that there has been additional distress caused by the manner in which the abuse occurred.

Will I have to pay any legal fees?

Most abuse claims are funded by a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is also known as a ‘no-win, no-fee’ agreement.

The way these agreements work means you do not have to pay anything to us upfront. If you successfully recover damages, the majority of your costs will be paid by the other side.

You may have to contribute to costs out of any compensation recovered, but this will not be more than 25%.

We may advise you to take out After the Event (ATE) Insurance in your claim, depending on the case.

If we consider that this should be taken out we will discuss this in detail with you. Any ATE premium will only be payable if you win and will not need to be paid until the end of the claim.

Why choose Oakwood Solicitors?

At Oakwood Solicitors, we have dedicated lawyers with over 20 years of experience acting for survivors of sexual and physical abuse. We understand how difficult it can be to bring and claim and are committed to dealing with your case in a sensitive way.

You will have a dedicated solicitor who will deal with your claim from start to finish and who will be able to speak to you at times convenient to you.

Greenwood School: ‘Father figure’ teacher banned after historic sexual abuse against pupils