More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A man who endured sickening sex assaults in a stationery cupboard as a schoolboy has received a settlement from Kent County Council.
Antony Wilkinson's teacher at Homewood School, Tenterden, pretended to help the teenager when he fell ill but instead he took him aside to an empty classroom to abuse him.
Maths teacher Geoffrey Oborn also targeted two other victims who he had home tutored in the early 1980s and was found guilty of indecent assault and gross indecency at a crown court trial in Maidstone at the end of 2017.
Judge Philip Statman described him as failing to show "an inkling of remorse" for his crimes.
The then 79-year-old of Cranbrook, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years.
Kent County Council has now reached a five figure settlement with Antony, with the help of specialist lawyers Irwin Mitchell.
Antony was sent on frequent errands to the stationery cupboard at Homewood, where Oborn at first rubbed himself against the boy, but the touching escalated and he said: "At first he would fondle me over the trousers and then his hands went inside my trousers."
After suffering years of torment and suicidal thoughts following the abuse, Antony, originally from Biddenden, but who now lives in Shrewsbury, plucked up the courage to speak out over his ordeal and is urging other victims to do the same.
He received specialist counselling and help to get legal redress for the harm that has been caused.
Tom Fletcher an abuse lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, who acted for Antony said: “Antony’s life has been completely turned upside down by the horrendous abuse that he endured a number of years ago, with the experiences taking a major toll on his mental health.
“While nothing will ever change what happened, we hope this settlement will prove to be a welcome step forward.
"We also hope that the conclusion of this legal case helps him look more brightly to the future, with the funds ensuring he can access any ongoing support he requires."
Antony, 49, who has waived his anonymity in a bid to help others added: “It is hard to put into words how much the abuse has affected me through the years and it has been a long and difficult road attempting to come to terms with what happened.
“It was incredibly daunting to speak out at first but it soon became apparent that people were around who could support me and treat everything sensitively. That helped hugely and it shows that people should feel more confident about coming forward on such matters.
“While nothing can make up for what happened, I now want to try and look to the future rather than concentrating on the past."
KCC has been approached for a comment.
For confidential support on an emotional issue, call Samaritans on 116123 at any time.
