PETER SHOTTON FROM ALBOURNE AND CRAWLEY JAILED FOR DECADE-LONG CHILD ABUSE AND FOUND DEAD IN ALBOURNE

In August 2020, a tragic discovery was made in the Sussex village of Albourne when a portion of land was cordoned off by authorities following the unsettling revelation of a human body. After thorough investigation and identification, police confirmed that the deceased was Peter Shotton, aged 68, a resident of The Twitten in Albourne. The circumstances surrounding his death prompted a significant police response, and the area was secured as part of the ongoing investigation.

However, the story of Peter Shotton’s past crimes extends far beyond his death. Back in April 2007, Shotton was at the center of a highly publicized criminal case involving serious allegations of child sexual abuse. The incident took place at Bewbush Community Primary School, located in Crawley, where he was employed as a mathematics teacher. Over a period spanning from 1995 to 2005, Shotton was accused of abusing three young boys, actions that would eventually lead to his conviction and imprisonment.

At Hove Crown Court, Shotton, then 55 years old and residing at The Twitten in Albourne, was found guilty of multiple charges, including sexual assault on a child under the age of 13, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and acts of indecency. The court proceedings revealed disturbing details of his misconduct, with jurors hearing that Shotton had taken hold of one boy’s head and attempted to force him into performing oral sex. The evidence also showed that one of the victims confided in his family about the abuse, and after this disclosure was published in a newspaper, two additional victims came forward with their own accounts.

Further testimony indicated that another boy had confided in a friend about the abuse nearly a year before the story was made public, and a third victim had spoken to his girlfriend prior to the media coverage. During the trial, Shotton denied the allegations, maintaining his innocence. Nevertheless, after a nine-day trial, Judge Anthony Niblett delivered a stern judgment, condemning Shotton’s actions and characterizing his motives as driven solely by perverted sexual gratification. The judge emphasized that Shotton’s abuse occurred on school premises during school hours, a time when the children should have felt safe and secure.

In his sentencing, Judge Niblett made it clear that Shotton had betrayed the trust placed in him as an educator. He stated, “You cared nothing but for your own perverted sexual gratification,” and highlighted the severity of the breach of trust. As a result of his conviction, Shotton was ordered to register as a sex offender and was disqualified from working with children for the rest of his life. The court’s verdict underscored the profound impact of his actions on the victims and the community, leaving a lasting scar that would be remembered long after his death in Albourne.