PIERS LE CHEMINANT AND SHOCKING SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN HOLSWORTHY AND WILTSHIRE

A retired teacher, Piers Le Cheminant, has been sentenced to imprisonment after a series of disturbing sexual assaults against boys at two prominent schools, including Salisbury Cathedral School and a boarding school in Chichester. The criminal acts spanned over two decades, beginning in the mid-1960s and extending into the 1980s, revealing a pattern of abuse that left lasting scars on his victims.

Le Cheminant, who is 77 years old and currently resides in Newton Abbot, Devon, targeted young boys at Oakwood Boarding School located in Chichester, West Sussex. The court proceedings revealed that his predatory conduct continued until one of the pupils at the school finally reported his misconduct to authorities. Following this, Le Cheminant was able to secure a teaching position at Salisbury Cathedral School, situated beneath the historic spire of the renowned Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire. Regrettably, his abusive behavior did not cease at this new institution, allowing him to continue exploiting young boys.

According to testimonies presented in Winchester Crown Court, Le Cheminant would call boys to stand at the front of the classroom under the pretext of some school activity. Once there, he would engage in inappropriate physical contact, including groping the boys’ buttocks while other students watched. The abuses extended beyond the classroom, with the perpetrator also taking advantage of boys after sporting events, observing them shower, and in some instances, leading victims to secluded areas where he would perform acts of sexual assault, including groping and smacking their buttocks.

Judge Timothy Mousley KC described Le Cheminant’s behavior as deeply reprehensible, emphasizing that the defendant displayed a marked absence of remorse for his crimes, which unfolded over a period of more than two decades, from 1965 to 1986. The judge acknowledged the severe impact these assaults had on the victims, stating, “One of the children was only eight years old when you started to abuse him. Each of these boys was particularly vulnerable and you took advantage of that. The harm was severe in some cases and you breached the trust which others expected of you. You have left them with appalling memories of their time at school.”

As a result of his conviction, Piers Le Cheminant was sentenced to nine years in prison. The court also imposed a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order and mandated that he register as a sex offender, underscoring the seriousness of his offenses. Salisbury Cathedral School, which boasts a history spanning over 900 years since being founded in 1091 by St Osmund, the Bishop of Salisbury and nephew of William the Conqueror, continues to be one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious educational institutions. However, the shadow cast by Le Cheminant’s actions has profoundly tarnished its reputation, highlighting the ongoing importance of safeguarding measures to protect vulnerable students in educational settings.