PETER DENTON CHOPPINGTON AND DEWSBURY SCHOOL ABUSER SENTENCED FOR NINE-YEAR CRIMES
| Red Rose Database
Dewsbury Choppington Sexual Abuser
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Dewsbury and Choppington, Peter Denton, a man now aged 64, has been sentenced to five years in prison for a series of heinous sexual offenses committed against a young boy over a span of nearly a decade. The crimes took place while Denton was serving as the principal residential child welfare officer at Combs Hill School, a residential institution located in Hall Lane, Thornhill, Dewsbury.
During the trial at Leeds Crown Court, a jury unanimously convicted Denton on five counts of indecent assault and one count of causing actual bodily harm to the victim. The court heard that Denton’s abuse began when the boy was approximately eight or nine years old. The abuse was characterized by a pattern of grooming and physical assault, with Denton exploiting his position of authority and trust within the school environment.
Judge Guy Kearl QC, presiding over the case, delivered the sentencing on a Monday, emphasizing the gravity of Denton’s breach of trust. The judge pointed out that Denton, in a senior management role, was expected to act as a guardian and protector for the children under his care. Instead, he exploited the vulnerability of a boy who came from a background marked by neglect, taking advantage of his circumstances to commit repeated acts of abuse.
The court detailed that the initial assault involved Denton punching the boy in the stomach—an act that, while not severe in itself, served as a means to silence the victim and facilitate further abuse. Over the course of six to seven years, Denton continued to sexually touch the boy on multiple occasions, including an incident where he performed oral sex on him in a bath. The abuse escalated when the victim was 15 years old, at which point Denton took him to his home, lying him on a bed and again engaging in inappropriate contact by rubbing against him.
Judge Kearl highlighted the disturbing context of the abuse, noting that it occurred within a residential school environment designed to support children in need. The fact that such offenses took place in a setting meant to provide care and safety added to the severity of Denton’s actions.
While acknowledging that Denton has no prior convictions and has contributed positively to society since leaving Combs Hill—establishing a successful business and serving as chairman of the British Costume Association—the judge underscored that justice required a custodial sentence. Denton, who now resides in North Choppington, Northumberland, was also noted to have health issues, but these factors did not outweigh the need for punishment.
Judge Kearl expressed that these crimes had remained hidden for many years, yet they had a lasting impact on the victim’s mental well-being. The court’s decision reflected the seriousness of the offenses and the importance of holding offenders accountable, regardless of the passage of time.
In a related development, last year, Steven Scholes, a former teacher at Combs Hill School from Newsome, Huddersfield, was also convicted and sentenced for sexual offenses committed at the same institution, further highlighting the troubling history of abuse at the school.
During the trial at Leeds Crown Court, a jury unanimously convicted Denton on five counts of indecent assault and one count of causing actual bodily harm to the victim. The court heard that Denton’s abuse began when the boy was approximately eight or nine years old. The abuse was characterized by a pattern of grooming and physical assault, with Denton exploiting his position of authority and trust within the school environment.
Judge Guy Kearl QC, presiding over the case, delivered the sentencing on a Monday, emphasizing the gravity of Denton’s breach of trust. The judge pointed out that Denton, in a senior management role, was expected to act as a guardian and protector for the children under his care. Instead, he exploited the vulnerability of a boy who came from a background marked by neglect, taking advantage of his circumstances to commit repeated acts of abuse.
The court detailed that the initial assault involved Denton punching the boy in the stomach—an act that, while not severe in itself, served as a means to silence the victim and facilitate further abuse. Over the course of six to seven years, Denton continued to sexually touch the boy on multiple occasions, including an incident where he performed oral sex on him in a bath. The abuse escalated when the victim was 15 years old, at which point Denton took him to his home, lying him on a bed and again engaging in inappropriate contact by rubbing against him.
Judge Kearl highlighted the disturbing context of the abuse, noting that it occurred within a residential school environment designed to support children in need. The fact that such offenses took place in a setting meant to provide care and safety added to the severity of Denton’s actions.
While acknowledging that Denton has no prior convictions and has contributed positively to society since leaving Combs Hill—establishing a successful business and serving as chairman of the British Costume Association—the judge underscored that justice required a custodial sentence. Denton, who now resides in North Choppington, Northumberland, was also noted to have health issues, but these factors did not outweigh the need for punishment.
Judge Kearl expressed that these crimes had remained hidden for many years, yet they had a lasting impact on the victim’s mental well-being. The court’s decision reflected the seriousness of the offenses and the importance of holding offenders accountable, regardless of the passage of time.
In a related development, last year, Steven Scholes, a former teacher at Combs Hill School from Newsome, Huddersfield, was also convicted and sentenced for sexual offenses committed at the same institution, further highlighting the troubling history of abuse at the school.