February 2017

Now living in South Shields

January 2007

Caretaker gets 12 years

A caretaker at one of the most prestigious schools in the North-East has been jailed for raping a schoolgirl.

Stephen Wilson repeatedly abused the 14-year-old in his car and at his former home.

The attacks took place between 1995 and 1999 – but the victim kept silent for eight years. Two years after the first offence, he secured a job at the £2,600-a-term Royal Grammar School (RGS) in Newcastle, where bosses were oblivious to his past.

Wilson continued to work at the 1,100-pupil RGS for eight years until his victim broke down and finally found the courage to describe her ordeal to a relative in March last year.

The 49-year-old denied the allegations, claiming the girl was lying, but was jailed for 12 years last week after a jury found him guilty of four rapes and four indecent assaults.

Parents at the private school last night told of their concern that Wilson, who had moved from Billingham, Teesside, to Lilac Walk in Hebburn, South Tyneside, had been around their children without anybody knowing of his past.

He had no previous convictions or historical behaviour to indicate he was a risk when he was hired at the RGS, and in recent years was even granted a county court residency order to look after a young female relative.

The former Army sergeant of 21 years was immediately suspended by the Jesmond school after the girl told police of the offences, and he resigned in June.

RGS headteacher James Miller last night said there had never been any suggestion Wilson had posed a threat to children.

Mr Miller was told of the allegations by social workers on March 29 last year after police were contacted by the victim, and senior school staff visited Wilson at home that evening asking him not to come to the school until further notice.

A statement from the RGS added: “Mr Wilson was also asked to surrender his school keys, and never returned to work at the RGS. Following confidential discussions between the school and various agencies involved in the case, Mr Wilson was asked by the school to consider his position, and he resigned from the school in June.

“During Mr Wilson’s period of employment at the RGS there was no indication of any inappropriate conduct with any RGS pupil of either sex.”

Wilson has now been banned for life from contact with children and must also register as a sex offender for life.

One mother of two RGS pupils, who asked not to be named, said she was horrified that a sex offender had been working near her children.

She said: “There doesn’t seem to be much that anyone could have done to stop this man working there if he had no record. But it’s absolutely terrifying to think that this man had access to my children and their friends.

“Thankfully it came to light before anything happened and thankfully he’s now behind bars.”

The RGS said all of its staff have now passed criminal checks that go beyond the guidelines issued by the Department for Education and Skills.

The school statement added: “At the time Mr Wilson was asked to take leave, the school had substantially completed Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure checks for all RGS employees.

“All current members of RGS teaching and support staff have now received satisfactory disclosure reports.”

Judge told former soldier admits responsibility for attack on teenager

A judge heard that Wilson, who denied all the charges against him, now accepts that his victim was telling the truth.

Judge David Bryant, sitting at Teesside Crown Court on Friday, was told that the former soldier attacked the girl in his car near his Billingham home after she excitedly told him about her first-ever boyfriend.

Sentencing Wilson to 12 years in jail, he told him: “I take into consideration the fact that you have now accepted your responsibility for these offences.

“That is an important step, because it is the first step toward therapy for your distorted views.”

Paul Currer, defending, said: “The fact that he now admits the offences is perhaps a welcome feature and the first stage to him receiving treatment. The offences happened when he was separated from his wife. He is now a broken man as a result of his own actions. His relationship with his wife is now completely at an end, and he is assessed by the probation service as providing a low risk of re-conviction.”

Sgt Mark Haworth, of the Stockton Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “This should encourage victims that if they come forward and make a report they will be listened to sympathetically and action will be taken. The length of the sentence also sends out a strong message to those minded to act in a same way.”