GERARD SINGER FROM WICKLEWOOD SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE AT ST GEORGE'S SCHOOL IN SUFFOLK AND NORFOLK

In a significant development in the ongoing investigation into historic child sexual abuse at St George's School, Gerard Singer, a 69-year-old teacher from Wicklewood, has been sentenced to 21 years in prison after being convicted of 27 serious sexual offenses. The court proceedings, held at Ipswich Crown Court, revealed that Singer's crimes spanned from 1979 to 1981 and involved eight vulnerable young boys, some as young as nine years old.

St George's School, which was once located initially at Wicklewood in Norfolk and later in Great Finborough, Suffolk, has become infamous for its dark history of abuse. The investigation into the school's past was initiated in 2009 after former pupils came forward to report their traumatic experiences. These revelations uncovered a disturbing pattern of abuse that had remained hidden for decades.

Gerard Singer's offenses included a range of heinous acts, such as 16 counts of indecent assault, two counts of gross indecency with a boy under 14, three counts of buggery, five counts of incitement to commit gross indecency, and one count of assault with intent to commit buggery. His actions left deep scars on his victims, who have since spoken out about the lasting impact of his abuse.

One victim, reflecting on the ordeal, stated, “Teachers including Mr Singer tainted my childhood which has affected my life over the past 35 years. Mr Singer’s selfish and self-indulgent actions have made me question everything in the years since he abused my trust. Only now, after 35 years since this abuse happened to me, do I feel the weight lifted from my shoulders and am able to move on with my life without having to look over my shoulder or be judged over something that was out of my control.”

Another survivor described the environment at the school as oppressive and intimidating. “The regime was intimidating, frightening, and cruel. This made me particularly vulnerable to any act of kindness shown to me by an adult. Gerard Singer took advantage of this and systematically showered me with gifts and kindness to win my trust. Today, it is called grooming. As a result, he interfered with me sexually. I was one of the lucky ones; I found a way to extract myself from the difficult situation I found myself in. As I’ve grown older, I have revisited my days at St George’s and reflected on what occurred there. I blamed my parents for a long time, which led to a very tenuous relationship with both my mother and father. I have since repaired my relationship with my mother, but unfortunately, my father passed away before I was able to do the same with him.”

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Karen Crowther expressed her relief that this long-standing case had finally reached a conclusion. “This trial has brought to a close one of the longest child sex abuse investigations carried out by Suffolk Police. I would like to thank all those who provided evidence for their patience and trust. I hope that now these matters have been addressed, it will help victims to come to terms with the terrible events that took place at St George’s School. They should feel very proud that they have helped bring to justice a man who has been a sexual predator and a risk to young boys for more than three decades.”

Tragically, another teacher at the school, Alan Williams, aged 59, took his own life after being arrested on suspicion of sexual assault related to his time at St George’s when it was located in Great Finborough. The history of abuse at the school continues to cast a long shadow over the community and the victims involved.