August 2023 Man sentenced to 12 years for child abuse A music teacher has been jailed after being found guilty of multiple sexual offences against children. Derek Turner aged 66 of The Oaks, Wickford appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Wednesday, 16 August where he was jailed for 12 years. An investigation into Turner was launched in July 2020, when two victims bravely contacted Essex Police to report that they had been sexually assaulted by Turner multiple times between 1992 and 2007. Turner was working as a music teacher at the time of the offences, but the offences did not take place within a school. When interviewed, Turner denied all offences. Following an investigation by Essex Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Team, Turner was charged with four counts of indecent assault on a boy under the age of 14 years, two counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14, Sexual assault on a Child and Attempted Sexual assault on a Child. After a two-week trial, Turner was found guilty of all offences and sentenced to 12 years in prison. He was also put on the Sexual Offenders Register for life, issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life and barred from teaching for life.