SHOCKING REVELATION: ROBIN LINDSAY, THE SHERBORNE PEDOPHILE, ALLOWED TO TEACH FOR DECADES DESPITE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS

In a disturbing case that has only recently come to light, Robin Lindsay, a former headteacher at Sherborne Preparatory School in Dorset, continued his teaching career for several decades despite numerous allegations of inappropriate and predatory behavior towards pupils. The troubling history of Lindsay’s conduct stretches back to the 1970s, with complaints first documented in 1974, and subsequent reports of misconduct recorded in 1982, 1985, and 1986.

It was not until 1993 that a formal investigation was conducted into the conditions at Sherborne Preparatory School, during which these allegations were brought to public attention. This report, which has now been released under a Freedom of Information Act request by the Somerset Live website, detailed the concerns raised about Lindsay’s behavior. Despite the accumulation of complaints over the years, Lindsay was only officially banned from teaching in 1998 by the Department for Education, which labeled him a “fixated paedophile.”

Remarkably, throughout this period, Lindsay was never subjected to criminal investigation by the police. He continued his career until his death in July 2016. The community’s response was mixed; some parents of pupils at the school even defended him publicly, claiming that “his only fault is to have a little of the eccentricity that we British are famed for.”

The 1993 report, which was released following a request under the Freedom of Information Act, was compiled by Dorset County Council’s social services department between February 8 and March 8 of that year. The report revealed that Lindsay would often enter dormitories at night, and although he was questioned about allegations of a student being indecently assaulted in his sleep, he dismissed these claims, asserting that the student had merely dreamt the incident.

Records show that both the Department for Education and police had documented complaints about Lindsay’s inappropriate conduct towards boarders dating back to 1974. When questioned by social services, Lindsay claimed that an unknown individual had been entering the school and that he had taken measures to prevent this intrusion. The intruder was described by a pupil as a male wearing a wig and emitting a strong cigar smoke smell.

Further disturbing details emerged from the report: Lindsay was known to hug pupils tightly, often smelling of cigar smoke, and would ask “Is anyone awake?” after entering dormitories during the night. Staff members recounted that Lindsay would wear pyjamas while teaching and that the school matron had observed him crossing a corridor outside the boys’ dormitory with his trousers unfastened.

There are also reports of Lindsay inviting boys into his bed at the school and during a skiing trip at a hotel. Social services documented that he would rub students’ backs and sit at the end of their beds while they slept, sometimes removing their covers. These behaviors paint a disturbing picture of a man who exploited his position of authority over vulnerable children for decades, despite repeated warnings and complaints.