A former teacher who sexually abused a pupil during the 1980s has been jailed.

Simon Montgomery taught at Dulwich College Preparatory School, now Dulwich Cranbrook in Coursehorn, Cranbrook.

The former science teacher and boarding school housemaster exploited his position to repeatedly assault a young boy under his care.

The 70-year-old, of Littlefield Road, Rainham, began grooming his victim by instructing him to stay behind after lessons, before showing him explicit magazines.

This moved on to repeated instances of sexual abuse in both the classroom and at a nearby sports facility.

His sentence comes after the allegations were reported to the police in December 2022. Montgomery was arrested and later confessed to officers during interviews, confirming the victim’s name before being asked.

He was charged with two counts of indecent assault and gross indecency with a child and a further charge was added of making indecent images of a child in connection to material found on one of his digital devices.

Montgomery pleaded guilty and at Maidstone Crown Court today (December 19) was sentenced to three years and four months in prison and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

Passing sentence, Judge Oliver Saxby KC praised the bravery of the victim in coming forward to reveal to the police what he had endured.

"He summoned the courage to report what you’d done – with all this involves. The feeling of shame – misplaced but real. The feeling of disgust – brought into sharp focus by having to remember it all again.

"And the feeling of life being suspended whilst the case has made its slow way through the court system.

"He said this in his interview: ‘Whatever age you are, you should have to stand up and be counted’.

"The court echoes this sentiment."

During the sentencing hearing it was revealed that although Montgomery has no previous convictions, he was cautioned in 2006 for three offences of sexual activity with a child in respect of children he had taught.

Now a convicted sex offender, the disgraced former teacher will have to sign on the sex offender register for life and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 15 years.

He will also be subject to regulations barring him from working with children.

Detective Constable Emma Coghlan said: “Whilst Montgomery appears to have shown genuine remorse for his actions, sex offenders like him wreak incalculable damage on their victims, many who will suffer in silence for years, or throughout their whole lives.

“Thankfully in this case the victim has shown extraordinary courage to come forward. This sentence will clearly not take away the emotional and physical trauma he was forced to endure as a child, but it will hopefully bring some closure.

“I would also like to remind anyone who has been a victim of abuse that it is never too late to report any sexual offence.

“You will be supported by specially trained, compassionate and understanding officers throughout the process, and we always treat any information with the utmost confidence and sensitivity.”