RICHARD HILARY SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON IN FARNBOROUGH FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES AGAINST YOUNG GIRLS

RICHARD HILARY SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON IN FARNBOROUGH FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES AGAINST YOUNG GIRLS

Richard Hilary, a former PE teacher and athletics coach from Farnborough, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted of 14 counts of indecent assault against five girls under the age of 16.

The offences took place between 1978 and 1984, when Hilary was employed as a teacher at The Wavell School in Farnborough and served as a coach at Winchester Athletics Club.

The court heard that Hilary would 'test the boundaries' of girls in his care by touching their breasts while dancing or, on one occasion, pushing snow down their bras.

He also encouraged them to engage in sexual activities with him on later occasions.

Winchester Crown Court was told that Hilary incited several girls to perform oral sex on him during trips in his car and asked one victim to 'sit' on his penis.

He targeted five victims, aged between 11 and 15, grooming them for sexual abuse.

On another occasion, Hilary photographed one girl naked in his bath.

He maintained relationships with a number of young girls, cultivating what the court described as 'completely inappropriate' relationships.

It was noted that he abused his position as a teacher and coach to carry out these acts on highly impressionable underage girls.

After the offences, Hilary continued his career in education, spending 12 years as headteacher of Chamberlayne Park School in Southampton, Hampshire, following the period of the abuse.

Many of the victims kept diaries detailing the extent of the abuse, most of which occurred on school grounds.

Some victims came forward after Hilary, of Northend Way, Droxford, was cleared of three counts of indecent assault against a child in a trial held in May 2014.

Despite denying all charges, Hilary was convicted of the 14 counts following the evidence presented.

Rob Welling from the CPS stated: "Richard Hilary abused his position of trust as a teacher to indecently assault young girls he had responsibility for." Many victims described Hilary as a popular and energetic teacher, a characteristic he exploited to groom them into performing sexual acts.

The CPS highlighted that they used teenage victims’ diaries, which clearly detailed the abuse as it happened, providing compelling evidence for the jury.

Welling added, "I commend the victims who reported Hilary and supported this prosecution."