ROGER BLISS: PREDATORY PAEDOPHILE FROM FAREHAM, HIGHGATE, AND MARKET DRAYTON BRINGS SHOCKING ABUSE TO LIGHT
| Red Rose Database
Fareham Market Drayton Highgate Child Sexual Abuser
In a case that has spanned over four decades, Roger Bliss, a man now residing in Wistanswick, Market Drayton, Shropshire, has been finally held accountable for a series of heinous crimes committed during his time as a teacher. The allegations date back to the 1970s, when Bliss was employed at the prestigious Highgate School in North Road, Highgate, London, where he served as a science teacher and house master.
According to court proceedings held on Wednesday, January 25, Wood Green Crown Court heard detailed accounts of Bliss’s predatory behavior. The court was informed that Bliss, who was known for his charismatic personality, exploited the trust placed in him by parents and the school to prey on vulnerable boys in his care. His actions included patrolling the corridors of the boys’ dormitories at night, sitting beside pupils in their beds, and sliding his hands under the covers to fondle them. The victims, many of whom were prepubescent, described feeling “terrified and frozen with fear” during the assaults.
The abuse was uncovered after a complaint was made by a parent in 1974, prompting an investigation into Bliss’s conduct. Despite the allegations surfacing in the 1970s, Highgate School initially denied any sexual assault had taken place. The school claimed that Bliss was conducting research into a sexual education program, but prosecutors argued that the school sought to conceal the truth. Prosecutor Sandy Canavan emphasized that Bliss was a “predatory paedophile” who exploited the trust of parents and their children.
Bliss, who is a father of three, was 64 years old at the time of sentencing. He later became headmaster at Boundary Oak School, a preparatory boarding school in Fareham, Hampshire, where he served for 18 years. The current leadership at Highgate School expressed their condemnation of the crimes, describing them as “abhorrent.” Highgate School’s headmaster, Adam Pettitt, stated, “These offences were committed some 40 years ago. The offences are abhorrent and represent a serious breach of trust between teacher and pupil. The school’s thoughts are with the former pupils affected.”
He further reassured the public that child protection policies have significantly improved since the 1970s. “Robust and up-to-date child protection procedures and safer recruitment policies are firmly embedded within Highgate School’s ethos, culture, and governance,” Pettitt added. The school’s commitment to safeguarding was recently reaffirmed during a periodic inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.
In court, Bliss pleaded guilty to 19 counts of indecent assault against seven different boys. He was sentenced to two and a half years in prison but could potentially be released on licence within 15 months. Defense lawyer Sarah Read highlighted that Bliss had suffered sexual abuse himself as a 14-year-old choir boy at the hands of a man 20 years his senior, expressing hope that the guilty plea would serve as a form of public apology to the victims.
The prosecution also mentioned allegations against Peter Kelland, a senior house master at Highgate School and Bliss’s superior, who has since passed away. It was stated that Bliss was unaware of Kelland’s alleged misconduct. The court’s judgment underscored the vulnerability of the young boys involved and the betrayal of trust by a man who was supposed to be a protector and educator.
According to court proceedings held on Wednesday, January 25, Wood Green Crown Court heard detailed accounts of Bliss’s predatory behavior. The court was informed that Bliss, who was known for his charismatic personality, exploited the trust placed in him by parents and the school to prey on vulnerable boys in his care. His actions included patrolling the corridors of the boys’ dormitories at night, sitting beside pupils in their beds, and sliding his hands under the covers to fondle them. The victims, many of whom were prepubescent, described feeling “terrified and frozen with fear” during the assaults.
The abuse was uncovered after a complaint was made by a parent in 1974, prompting an investigation into Bliss’s conduct. Despite the allegations surfacing in the 1970s, Highgate School initially denied any sexual assault had taken place. The school claimed that Bliss was conducting research into a sexual education program, but prosecutors argued that the school sought to conceal the truth. Prosecutor Sandy Canavan emphasized that Bliss was a “predatory paedophile” who exploited the trust of parents and their children.
Bliss, who is a father of three, was 64 years old at the time of sentencing. He later became headmaster at Boundary Oak School, a preparatory boarding school in Fareham, Hampshire, where he served for 18 years. The current leadership at Highgate School expressed their condemnation of the crimes, describing them as “abhorrent.” Highgate School’s headmaster, Adam Pettitt, stated, “These offences were committed some 40 years ago. The offences are abhorrent and represent a serious breach of trust between teacher and pupil. The school’s thoughts are with the former pupils affected.”
He further reassured the public that child protection policies have significantly improved since the 1970s. “Robust and up-to-date child protection procedures and safer recruitment policies are firmly embedded within Highgate School’s ethos, culture, and governance,” Pettitt added. The school’s commitment to safeguarding was recently reaffirmed during a periodic inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.
In court, Bliss pleaded guilty to 19 counts of indecent assault against seven different boys. He was sentenced to two and a half years in prison but could potentially be released on licence within 15 months. Defense lawyer Sarah Read highlighted that Bliss had suffered sexual abuse himself as a 14-year-old choir boy at the hands of a man 20 years his senior, expressing hope that the guilty plea would serve as a form of public apology to the victims.
The prosecution also mentioned allegations against Peter Kelland, a senior house master at Highgate School and Bliss’s superior, who has since passed away. It was stated that Bliss was unaware of Kelland’s alleged misconduct. The court’s judgment underscored the vulnerability of the young boys involved and the betrayal of trust by a man who was supposed to be a protector and educator.