PATRICK NETHERCOT SHOCKS DURHAM CITY WITH SEX OFFENSES IN FRONT OF CHILDREN DURING ORIENTEERING TRIPS

In a case that has sent shockwaves through Durham City, Patrick Nethercot, a 61-year-old former school head, has been spared jail time after admitting to serious sexual misconduct involving young boys during trips over two decades ago. Nethercot, who resided on Larches Road in Western Hill, Durham City, served as the head of Gilesgate Junior School from 1984 until 1993. His offenses, which date back to between 1978 and 1980, involved inappropriate acts committed in the presence of boys aged as young as nine during outdoor activities such as orienteering excursions.

Durham Crown Court was informed that Nethercot, at the time a teacher at a school in Wearside, organized orienteering trips to locations including Hamsterley Forest in County Durham and the Lake District. During these trips, he engaged in indecent acts in the dormitory in front of the group of boys or while walking alone with individual children. Prosecutor Shaun Dodds detailed that Nethercot warned one of the boys that if he reported what had happened, he would not be believed, highlighting an attempt to silence or intimidate the victims.

The court heard that the incidents were only reported last year after one of the victims, now a man in his 30s and a father himself, recognized Nethercot collecting his grandchild in Chester-le-Street. This recognition prompted the victim to come forward and report the misconduct to authorities. Following his arrest in November, Nethercot, who has been married for 37 years, initially denied any inappropriate behavior but later pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecency during his court appearance on August 2.

During mitigation, Caroline Goodwin emphasized that Nethercot had the support of his family and was receiving help for his personal issues. The court considered his lack of previous convictions and the fact that he was himself a victim of a serious offense at age 17, which contributed to his mental health struggles. Judge Beatrice Bolton reviewed a pre-sentence letter from Nethercot, psychiatric reports, and references from individuals familiar with him. She acknowledged that the maximum penalty for the offenses was two years but decided on a more lenient sentence due to mitigating circumstances, including the impact of his own past trauma, which led to a breakdown in the 1990s.

As part of his sentence, Nethercot is required to participate in a sex offender treatment program, register as a sex offender for five years, and is prohibited from working with children. He was also ordered to pay court costs. The judge praised the victim who courageously reported the crimes to the police, emphasizing the importance of such bravery in bringing offenders to justice.

Nethercot's departure from Gilesgate Junior School in November 1993 came just days before a disciplinary hearing was scheduled following an investigation prompted by parental complaints. Prior to this, he had been suspended in July of that year. After leaving education, he established a computer and internet consultancy, designing websites for various organizations, including Durham City’s Labour Party, former MP Gerry Steinberg, and the Gateshead Senators American Football Club. He also served as chairman of the Durham and Chester-le-Street branch of the Alzheimer’s Society and the patient forum for the County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust, which managed mental health services in the region.