Troubling to hear the news from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary today, that the former Headteacher of St Anne’s Catholic School has been charged with alleged non-recent sexual abuse. This is in addition to four former teachers who currently remain under investigation following similar reports of non-recent child sexual abuse at the school.
This news will of course be deeply shocking and upsetting for staff, children and the wider school’s community. As a former pupil of St Anne’s myself, I share this feeling of disbelief and concern. Every parent should feel that their child is safe at school and children should be safe with their teachers, rather than become victims.
I would like to thank Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary for their thorough and robust investigation into this case and their on going support for victims. I will continue to work with them, Southampton City Council and other institutions to help prevent this from happening again in the future.
More needs to be done to protect our young people, particularly women and girls. I am pleased by the measures this new government has recently announced to help ensure necessary safeguards are in place in and out of schools and I shall continue to advocate for these.
I also strongly encourage anyone who is concerned, has questions, or has been a victim of child sexual abuse to contact the police on 101 where you can speak with a police officer in confidence or by submitting information online by going to:
https://mipp.police.uk/operation/44HC23M03-PO1.