October 1999 Ex-JP jailed for sex abuse An ex-magistrate who over 36 years sexually abused five boys was yesterday jailed for eight years.  Retired teacher Harold Tope (64) admitted a string of sex attacks on the boys who were aged as young as eight.  The former Southampton magistrate had admitted 11 indecent assaults, three charges of indecency with a child, one serious sexual assault and one attempted serious sexual assault.  Sentencing him at Portsmouth Crown Court, Judge David Selwood ordered Tope, who has been living in a bail hostel in Portsmouth, to be put on the sex offenders’ register.