JOHN LILLIS, FORMER CHOIRMASTER FROM WEYBRIDGE, WINDSOR, AND WOKING, SENTENCED FOR ABUSE IN SURREY

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Weybridge, Windsor, and Woking, John Lillis, a man once trusted as a teacher and church choir leader, has been sentenced to six years in prison for serious sexual offenses committed against teenage boys. The conviction was secured at Guildford Crown Court in August, where the court found Lillis guilty of multiple counts of sexual misconduct, including attempted buggery and indecent assault.

Specifically, Lillis was convicted of one count of attempted buggery and two counts of indecent assault involving two boys under the age of 16. These offenses spanned a period from the early 1970s to the early 1980s, with Lillis previously admitting to four other counts of indecent assault committed between 1973 and 1982. The court heard that his misconduct was not an isolated incident but part of a pattern of abuse that spanned many years.

During the sentencing hearing on September 6, prosecutor Jennifer Gray revealed disturbing details about Lillis’s behavior. She stated that the convicted man had been viewing child pornography up until the day before his arrest in June 2012, indicating ongoing criminal activity even after his initial misconduct was known.

At the time of the offenses, Lillis was employed as a teacher at St Dunstan’s Catholic Primary School in Woking. Despite his admitted abuse, he was allowed to continue serving as the church’s choirmaster and organist at St Dunstan’s Catholic Church, which is located in the same community, for a remarkable 20 years. This continued employment persisted even after Lillis was confronted about his actions in 1989. Jurors were told that during that confrontation, Lillis admitted to touching the two boys and assured church authorities that such behavior would not happen again.

Following this admission, the Department for Education placed Lillis on a banned list, and he was compelled to resign from his teaching and church roles in 1989. However, despite these sanctions, Lillis remained living in a church-subsidized property in Woking and resumed his duties as choirmaster a year later, raising questions about the effectiveness of the disciplinary measures at the time.

It was not until 2011 that Lillis was finally removed from his church positions, and the following year, in June 2012, he was arrested by authorities. The lengthy investigation and subsequent legal proceedings culminated in his conviction and sentencing.

Defense lawyer Richard Button expressed regret that, given Lillis’s previous admissions, he was not prosecuted sooner. He commented, “One consequence is that he has lived in fear of a knock on the door for several years.” Mr. Button emphasized that Lillis was a man of previously good character, with no convictions before or since the offenses, though he acknowledged that Lillis’s reputation had been irreparably damaged many years ago. The defense also highlighted that there was no physical violence involved in the assaults.

As part of his sentence, Lillis was also placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities. Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Paul Carpenter commented on the case, stating, “This sentence reflects the severity of the abuse which Lillis meted out to his victims. I hope the result will give closure and go some way in helping his victims move on with their lives and begin to have hope for their futures.”

He praised the victims for their courage and resilience in coming forward after many years, acknowledging the lengthy and challenging nature of the investigation. Detective Carpenter urged any other victims of abuse to contact Surrey Police and report similar incidents, emphasizing the importance of justice and support for survivors of such crimes.