PETER WEBB HORSHAM PAEDOPHILE TEACHER SENTENCED AGAIN BEFORE RELEASE
| Red Rose Database
Horsham Rapist
In a disturbing case that has once again cast a shadow over the historic Christ’s Hospital school in Horsham, West Sussex, Peter Webb, a former housemaster and teacher, has been convicted of multiple counts of child sexual abuse. Webb, aged 77, was on the verge of completing a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence for previous offences when new charges surfaced, leading to his re-incarceration just days before his scheduled release.
Webb’s latest conviction stems from a two-day trial that concluded on Wednesday, where he was found guilty of three counts of indecent assault against a young boy student during the early 1970s. The victim, now in his 50s, chose to remain anonymous for legal reasons but bravely testified about the abuse he endured as an 11-year-old boarder at Christ’s Hospital, where Webb was employed as a woodwork teacher and housemaster.
The court heard that Webb had repeatedly entered the boys’ dormitories and touched sleeping children without their consent. The victim described himself as a “spindly, crying-inside little boy” at the time, recounting how the abuse began during his first term at the school, when he was tasked with making coffee for Webb and other students before morning communion. He detailed how Webb, whom he described as a “ritualistic sadist,” groped him in the kitchen, an act he admits he did not initially recognize as sexual in nature.
Following the trial, the victim explained that reading court reports of other abuse cases involving Christ’s Hospital staff prompted him to contact Sussex Police. He said, “Some penny dropped and suddenly I realised what had gone on was not about me. It was about his needs and gratification.”
Despite Webb’s denial of the charges, Judge Christine Laing QC condemned his actions as a serious breach of trust. Addressing Webb directly in court, she stated, “You still sound like a true paedophile. I have no doubt at all the only reason you contested this was to avoid your sentence being extended any further.”
Webb’s employment at Christ’s Hospital spanned two decades, ending in 1984 after a boy reported abuse. However, it was not until 2015 that Webb was finally imprisoned for a series of offences, making him one of five former staff members at the prestigious school to face charges related to child abuse.
In a separate case in December 2017, Webb, then aged 75 and residing at Kennedy Road, Dane End, Ware, Hertfordshire, was sentenced to four years in prison for a series of sexual offences against four boys. He had previously pleaded guilty to eleven counts of indecent assault at Lewes Crown Court in September 2017, where the court heard that the assaults ranged from three to five incidents per victim. One boy was assaulted three times, another twice, a third five times, and a fourth once. Webb denied an additional incident involving a fifth boy, which remains on file.
Victims’ statements revealed the profound impact Webb’s abuse had on their lives, with one victim explaining he had kept silent until another victim’s report in November 2016 prompted him to come forward. Webb received a sentence of two years and six months for the initial offences, to run consecutively with his previous 18-month sentence, culminating in a total of four years’ imprisonment. He was also designated a lifetime registered sex offender and subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which restricts his access to minors.
Earlier in September 2017, Webb, then 74 and living in France, admitted to eleven charges of indecent assault against five boys at Christ’s Hospital. His plea was entered at Lewes Crown Court, where he awaited sentencing scheduled for October 12. Alongside Webb, other former staff members, including Gary Dobbie and James Andrew Husband, faced charges of indecent assault and rape, respectively, with trials set for the following year.
These cases highlight a troubling pattern of abuse within the walls of Christ’s Hospital, a school renowned for its history and prestige, but marred by the actions of individuals entrusted with the care of young boys. Webb’s repeated offences and the court’s condemnations underscore the severity of his betrayal of trust and the ongoing efforts to seek justice for his victims.
Webb’s latest conviction stems from a two-day trial that concluded on Wednesday, where he was found guilty of three counts of indecent assault against a young boy student during the early 1970s. The victim, now in his 50s, chose to remain anonymous for legal reasons but bravely testified about the abuse he endured as an 11-year-old boarder at Christ’s Hospital, where Webb was employed as a woodwork teacher and housemaster.
The court heard that Webb had repeatedly entered the boys’ dormitories and touched sleeping children without their consent. The victim described himself as a “spindly, crying-inside little boy” at the time, recounting how the abuse began during his first term at the school, when he was tasked with making coffee for Webb and other students before morning communion. He detailed how Webb, whom he described as a “ritualistic sadist,” groped him in the kitchen, an act he admits he did not initially recognize as sexual in nature.
Following the trial, the victim explained that reading court reports of other abuse cases involving Christ’s Hospital staff prompted him to contact Sussex Police. He said, “Some penny dropped and suddenly I realised what had gone on was not about me. It was about his needs and gratification.”
Despite Webb’s denial of the charges, Judge Christine Laing QC condemned his actions as a serious breach of trust. Addressing Webb directly in court, she stated, “You still sound like a true paedophile. I have no doubt at all the only reason you contested this was to avoid your sentence being extended any further.”
Webb’s employment at Christ’s Hospital spanned two decades, ending in 1984 after a boy reported abuse. However, it was not until 2015 that Webb was finally imprisoned for a series of offences, making him one of five former staff members at the prestigious school to face charges related to child abuse.
In a separate case in December 2017, Webb, then aged 75 and residing at Kennedy Road, Dane End, Ware, Hertfordshire, was sentenced to four years in prison for a series of sexual offences against four boys. He had previously pleaded guilty to eleven counts of indecent assault at Lewes Crown Court in September 2017, where the court heard that the assaults ranged from three to five incidents per victim. One boy was assaulted three times, another twice, a third five times, and a fourth once. Webb denied an additional incident involving a fifth boy, which remains on file.
Victims’ statements revealed the profound impact Webb’s abuse had on their lives, with one victim explaining he had kept silent until another victim’s report in November 2016 prompted him to come forward. Webb received a sentence of two years and six months for the initial offences, to run consecutively with his previous 18-month sentence, culminating in a total of four years’ imprisonment. He was also designated a lifetime registered sex offender and subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which restricts his access to minors.
Earlier in September 2017, Webb, then 74 and living in France, admitted to eleven charges of indecent assault against five boys at Christ’s Hospital. His plea was entered at Lewes Crown Court, where he awaited sentencing scheduled for October 12. Alongside Webb, other former staff members, including Gary Dobbie and James Andrew Husband, faced charges of indecent assault and rape, respectively, with trials set for the following year.
These cases highlight a troubling pattern of abuse within the walls of Christ’s Hospital, a school renowned for its history and prestige, but marred by the actions of individuals entrusted with the care of young boys. Webb’s repeated offences and the court’s condemnations underscore the severity of his betrayal of trust and the ongoing efforts to seek justice for his victims.