EDWARD GEORGE WALLER CONVICTED WITH RAPE IN SOUTHAMPTON CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE INVESTIGATION
Update 20/02/2026: A former teacher who groomed and sexually abused a vulnerable teenage pupil has been jailed.Edward Waller sent naked photos of himself before having sex with the girl in 2005 while he was teaching at St Anne's Catholic School in Southampton.
The 66-year-old, from Southsea, was convicted of sexual activity with a child and two counts of inciting child sexual activity, all committed by a person in a position of trust.
He was jailed for six years during a sentencing hearing at Portsmouth Crown Court.
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Edward George Waller, aged 65, has been formally charged in connection with a serious investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse that took place at St Anne's Catholic School and Sixth Form College located in Southampton.
The charges against Waller span a period from 2004 to 2006, during which authorities allege he engaged in reprehensible conduct involving minors.
Specifically, Waller faces two additional counts of abuse of a position of trust, which involve accusations that he caused or incited a child to participate in sexual activities.
These charges highlight the gravity of the misconduct and the breach of trust inherent in such offenses.
The legal proceedings for Waller are scheduled to take place at Portsmouth Crown Court, with a court date set for February 10.
This upcoming hearing will determine the course of justice in this troubling case.
This development is part of a broader investigation that has already seen previous allegations surface against other individuals associated with the school.
Notably, former headteacher James Rouse faces similar charges, indicating a potentially wider pattern of misconduct within the institution.
According to a spokesperson from Hampshire police, the investigation remains active, and authorities are currently examining the involvement of three other former staff members.
These individuals are under scrutiny for related allegations of child sexual abuse at St Anne's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, underscoring the seriousness and scope of the inquiry.
As the case progresses, the community and families affected by these allegations await further developments, hoping for justice and accountability in this deeply troubling matter.
——————————————————————————————————- A former Southampton teacher has been convicted of sexual offences against a "vulnerable" pupil he groomed and manipulated 20 years ago.
During his trial at Portsmouth Crown Court, the jury heard his victim was only aged 16-17 at the time.
Speaking after the verdicts, a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesperson said: "Waller was aware the victim was a vulnerable girl who was having significant issues at home, and began giving her extra attention.
His messages and calls to her became increasingly sexual - sexting her and sending her images of himself naked.
This behaviour escalated to a point where, in December 2005, Waller, who was 46 at the time, invited the victim to his home where he had sex with her." Waller, who was a respected teacher and entrusted with accompanying St Anne's pupils on a trip to Auschwitz in 2009, was cleared by jurors of rape - the most serious allegation he was facing.
But he was found guilty of the alternative charge of sexual activity with a child.
He was also convicted of two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
All three allegations referred to him being in a position of trust.
The offences took place in Southampton, where Waller was living at the time.
The defendant denied all the allegations against him, repeatedly telling the court that no sexual activity with the victim took place.
Speaking after the case, Julia McSorley, a specialist prosecutor in the CPS's Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, said: "Edward Waller used his position as a teacher to manipulate and groom a pupil who was entrusted into his care.
In the selfish pursuit of his own sexual gratification, he burdened her with the significant and lasting effects of this offending.
'I hope the outcome sends a clear message that the CPS is committed to bringing those who exploit children to justice and empowers victims to know that they will be taken seriously – no matter how much time has passed." Waller, of Winter Street, Southsea, is due to be sentenced at the same court on February 5, 2026.
