School teacher who sexually abused pupils loses appeal

Jonathan O'Brien, aged 57, subjected boys aged 10 to 16 to his advances while working as a teacher in near Kidderminster and Oxfordshire in the 1980s.

O'Brien, of Fairfield Road, Bosham, near Chichester, was jailed for 13 years at Chichester Crown Court in May, last year after he was found guilty of 15 counts of indecent assault.

Three senior judges at London's Appeal Court rejected a sentence challenge by the disgraced teacher, saying his jail term was certainly not manifestly excessive.

Mrs Justice Swift said O'Brien was a teacher at private Winterfold House School, near Kidderminster, when he would lure pupils to a photographic darkroom and sexually abuse them.

Later he joined another private school, The Oratory, in South Oxfordshire, and continued his 'shameful' exploitation for several years. In all, he abused nine boys

On appeal, O'Brien's barrister, David Whittaker, argued that the 13-year jail term was 'manifestly excessive' at a court hearing on Thursday.

He said the judge failed to give proper weight to O'Brien's mitigation, including his lack of offending since the abuse.

But Mrs Justice Swift, sitting with Lord Justice Pitchford and Judge Paul Batty QC, said: "We consider the judge was right to say that 'a graver abuse of trust is difficult to imagine'.

"The total sentence is indeed very substantial, but rightly so, we consider, given the particular circumstances of this case.

"We are satisfied that the total sentence of 13 years reflects the seriousness of these offences and cannot be regarded as manifestly excessive."

The appeal judge also rejected a bid by O'Brien to challenge to the terms of a sexual offences prevention order which bar him from having contact with children after his release.

O'Brien claimed the order was "disproportionate". But Mrs Justice Swift said the order was necessary to protect children from O'Brien in the future.