WATCH: Paedophile kept newspaper cuttings of "unknown children" in jail cell

Wednesday 09 October 2019

An ex-teacher, who was jailed for taking out his “spanking fetish” on young boys in the 1970s and 1980s, was found to have been keeping “newspaper cuttings in his cell of unknown schoolchildren", it emerged as he was sentenced for further abuse.

More of Christopher Roy Bacon’s victims telling their stories about abuse they suffered at his hands brought the 77-year-old before the Royal Court once again yesterday for indecent assaults committed while he worked at St. Helier Boys’ School in the 1970s and 1980s.

During his sentencing hearing - where his jail-term was extended by two years - it emerged that, even whilst in prison, the “prolific sex offender” had been collecting “newspaper cuttings in his cell of unknown schoolchildren."

Pictured: Bacon lost his 'enhanced' status at the prison when the cuttings were found.

This behaviour, the prosecutor told the Court, caused Bacon to lose his “enhanced status” at the prison.

Bacon had been serving a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence, and was due to be released next summer.

However, yesterday's sentencing has put that release date back by two years, after further abuse during his time as a teacher was uncovered.

Crown Advocate Richard Pedley, appearing for the prosecution, told the Court that the five counts of indecent assault - all of which Bacon admitted - took place during the same period as the previous charges of abuse that Bacon was convicted of, after trial in 2017.

Video: Bacon leaving Court having learned of his extended sentence - clutching a copy of 'Railway Magazine'.

Summarising the case for the Court, the prosecutor said that the four victims – now adults – recall the abuse they suffered at the hands of the former music teacher.

Many of them remember that the abuse occurred under the guise of Bacon disciplining them with one describing the assault as “humiliating” and “upsetting”. All of them experienced abuse which was later described by Crown Advocate Pedley as Bacon “act[ing] out his spanking fantasies” on the young boys. 

Making his recommendations to the Court on sentencing, the Crown Advocate emphasised that the indecent assaults signified a “gross abuse of trust” and characterised Bacon’s behaviour as a “deliberate isolation” of his victims and “the targeting of vulnerable schoolchildren."

He used “his position of authority over the victim to act out his spanking fantasies and gain sexual gratification".

In a statement describing the effect the abuse has had on his life, one victim claimed that Bacon’s abuse led to his inherent distrust of teachers which ultimately ruined his schooling career.

Pictured: Bacon's jail-term was extended by the Royal Court.

“After the abuse, I felt very confused. I only realised later on that he was being perverted… I didn’t listen to teachers anymore; I didn’t trust teachers anymore. I lost interest in school… I was always in trouble.

“I eventually left school without any qualifications. I feel as if [Bacon] has taken away all my choices in life.”

Another testified: “I will always feel like a little boy in a man’s body.” 

The Crown Advocate invited the Court to impose a prison sentence of two years which would run when his current sentence lapses.

Advocate Adam Harrison, defending Bacon, claimed that, because this abuse took place at the same time as his previous convictions, they should be viewed as part of the same offending. 

The defence lawyer described the sentence moved for by the Crown as “excessive".

Emphasising the value of his client’s ‘guilty’ pleas which meant that his four victims did not have to give evidence at trial, Advocate Harrison also emphasised that Bacon has “no serious offending” on his record since the 1980s.

“No matter who he was in the '80s, it’s apparent he has developed as a person as he has grown older.” 

Pictured: Some of Bacon's victims gave statements about what impact the abuse has had on their lives.

Royal Court Commissioner Sir Michael Birt presided over the hearing and the case was heard by Jurats Pitman and Olsen who ultimately agreed with the prosecution and imposed a two-year prison sentence on top of his existing jail-time.

Handing down the Court’s decision, Sir Michael said that this offending, in common with Bacon’s previous convictions, was carried out under the guise of disciplining the boys.

“You had a spanking fetish and the spanking was done to satisfy that fetish and to give you sexual pleasure rather than for any disciplinary reason.”

Bacon was then taken back into custody to continue serving his extended sentence and he remains on the Sex Offenders' Register.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Sergeant David Hill, who leads the States Police’s Historic Abuse Team commented: “Bacon was a prolific sex offender who grossly abused his position of authority and trust to satisfy his desires. Despite the passage of time since these offences occurred, the impact on the victims still remains today.

“It takes remarkable courage for victims of this type of abuse to come forward and relive such traumatic events. It is why we are so committed to listening to the victims, supporting them and thoroughly investigating their cases. When wrong has been done we will do all that we can to secure the conviction of those committing these devastating crimes.”