CHRISTOPHER SHEARD FROM CHESTERFIELD JAILED FOR SEX OFFENCES AGAINST TEENAGER IN DERBY
In a case that has shocked the local community, Christopher Sheard, a former art teacher from Chesterfield, has been sentenced to prison for a series of serious sexual offences committed against a teenage girl.The incidents took place during the 1970s, when Sheard was employed at Newbold Green Secondary School, and involved a vulnerable 14-year-old girl who had developed an infatuation with him.
On Friday, July 2, at Derby Crown Court, the court heard detailed accounts of how Sheard, now aged 74, exploited his position of authority and the girl’s susceptibility to initiate a disturbing four-year-long relationship.
It was revealed that Sheard, who resided on North Wingfield Road in Grassmoor, Chesterfield, used his influence over the girl to engage in inappropriate conduct, which included sexual activities at his home and in nearby fields on multiple occasions during the mid-1970s.
The court was informed that Sheard even took the girl on weekends away to the Lake District and London, claiming these trips were for educational purposes.
These trips, however, served as further opportunities for misconduct.
The court heard that Sheard, who was married at the time, began his inappropriate relationship with the girl when she was just 14, and it continued until she reached the age of 18, at which point she decided to sever all contact with him.
Remarkably, Sheard pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16 just one day before his trial was scheduled to commence last year.
The prosecution, led by Siward James-Moore, outlined how the offences started when the girl was vulnerable and infatuated with Sheard, who was nearly twice her age.
The court was told that Sheard initially invited her to his house for coffee, during which he showed her slides of his wife performing oral sex on him, an act that was part of the disturbing pattern of their interactions.
Following this initial contact, the girl and Sheard engaged in sexual activities on numerous occasions over the next two years.
The sexual relationship persisted until the girl turned 18, at which point she chose to end the relationship.
After a period of no contact, Sheard reached out to her in 1995, claiming he had found some of her artwork in his house.
During this conversation, he made inappropriate remarks, including suggesting that she and he had been 'naughty' during her school years.
The victim later reported the abuse to the police in 2019, prompted by media coverage of similar cases.
In her victim impact statement, parts of which were read aloud by Judge Shaun Smith, she expressed feelings of shame, anger, and fear.
She described how she felt too ashamed to speak out earlier and how the memories of the abuse gradually resurfaced, leading her to believe that Sheard had taken advantage of her vulnerable state.
In mitigation, Richard Gibbs, representing Sheard, acknowledged his client’s long career of teaching and his efforts to positively influence thousands of students.
He also noted that Sheard had expressed remorse through letters to the judge and the victim.
Mr.
Gibbs emphasized that the relationship was fundamentally wrong and that Sheard’s advanced age and current vulnerability in custody were factors to consider.
He also highlighted the pain caused to Sheard’s loved ones and stated that he would carry the burden of guilt for the rest of his life.
Ultimately, Judge Shaun Smith sentenced Sheard to 20 months in prison, citing the seriousness of the offences and the necessity of protecting the public from such conduct.
The judge remarked that there was little alternative but to impose a custodial sentence, reflecting the gravity of the crimes committed by the former teacher from Chesterfield in Derby.
