Former teacher jailed for seven-and-a-half years for sexual assault

A former schoolteacher has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting 14 boys.

Jack Smith of Horncastle was convicted of 39 offences after a three-week trial at Lincoln Crown Court last November.

The 29-year-old was judged to have committed 30 counts of sexual assault and nine counts of sexual communication with a child.

Smith claimed his behaviour wasn’t sexually motivated, but admitted the behaviour described by his victims was correct.

He was granted conditional bail before returning to court today, Friday, 17 January where he was sentenced to more than seven years in prison.

Smith was also given a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order.

Detective Sergeant Mel Nash condemned his actions while commending those who came forward to provide evidence for their bravery.

She said: “Smith’s actions were deplorable and are likely to have long-lasting consequences, but we hope this sentence will help his victims start to move on and achieve some form of closure – even if the road ahead is a long one.

“But one thing is clear - without their bravery, we wouldn’t have achieved this result today.

“I’d also like to praise the families involved for their dignity and cooperation throughout our investigation.

“It has been incredibly difficult time for them but their commitment to seeing justice done can’t be overstated.

“And finally, I’d like to thank all those at Lincolnshire Police who worked on this case. Their professionalism and dedication were first class and is a testament to their passion for public service.”

Smith was suspended from his role and later struck off, meaning he will not be able to teach or work with children again.

The name of the school where Smith worked, and the ages of the victims cannot be published to protect their anonymity.

If you’ve been the victim of rape or sexual assault, please report it to us as soon as possible.

Even if you’re not 100 per cent sure, we want to hear from you so that we can make sure you’re safe.

If you’re not ready to talk to the police just yet, that’s OK.

Follow this link here - Support for victims of rape and sexual assault | Lincolnshire Police (lincs.police.uk) to find out what other organisations can help and support you.

You can report a rape and sexual assault here - How to report rape and sexual assault | Lincolnshire Police (lincs.police.uk)