PAEDOPHILE school teacher Walter Beal has been jailed for three years after finally being brought to justice 25 years after he began abusing pupils.

Beal, 63, of Chetwood Road, Bewbush, Crawley, mol-ested three young boys while working as a music master at two private boarding schools.

He committed the offences while director of music at Stoke Brunswick Prep School, East Grinstead, and Redrise School in Andover, Hampshire.

One victim was treated to trips in his MG sports car and flights in Beal's Cessna light aircraft between bouts of sexual abuse.

Another youngster was forced to sit on his knee reading Bible passages while the teacher fondled him.

And Beal abused a third by counting mistakes he made while playing the organ and then undoing the corresponding number of buttons on his shirt to molest him.

Bespectacled Beal, a qualified flying instructor who retired from teaching in 1979, escaped detection until 1997.

But two former students, now both in their 30s, approached police independently after struggling to cope with the trauma of their childhood.

International law en-forcement agencies including Interpol and the New York Police Department were called in to help trace vital witnesses now living around the world.

Their investigation culminated in Beal being convicted of nine indecent assaults and three counts of indecency with boys in his care between 1974 and 1978.

Beal, who was also in charge of the choir and orchestras at both the fee-paying schools, taught instruments including the piano, recorder and organ.

He began abusing one boy at Stoke Brunswick, where he was employed from 1974 until December 1976, after the lad joined the choir. He abused the

13-year-old during scripture reading sessions in his private quarters.

A second teenager, aged 15, was abused at Redrise School, where Beal worked from 1977 to 1979, during one-to-one organ lessons.

A third boy was abused at both schools after Beal helped him gain a scholarship to his second school after changing jobs.

The boy, described by Beal as one of the best music students he had ever had, was repeatedly molested from the age of ten to 13.

During one school holiday Beal even took him to stay at his brother's house in Stratford-upon-Avon and persuaded him to take part in oral sex.

He also regularly took him for spins in the skies above Biggin Hill in Kent during which he would kiss him, Lewes Crown Court heard.

Beal insisted he never engaged in inappropriate sexual behaviour with any of the boys.

He told the jury: "I have racked my brains over the last year since this cropped up to find an explanation.

"It's a teacher's absolute worst nightmare, this sort of thing happening, but I don't know any reason why they would say this.

"I did not abuse them. I knew they were quite fond of me and I was quite fond of them but I thought it was a normal, reasonable relationship."

Beal, of previous good character, ridiculed suggestions he may have abused one pupil in his plane, although he admitted taking him and staff for flights.

He said: "When you are flying an aircraft you have not got time to mess around, not if you want to stay alive."

But the jury rejected his claims and unanimously convicted him of all charges after a three- day trial.

Sentencing Beal, Judge Richard Hayward said: "These boys were away from their parents, they were vulnerable and impressionable and you abused that trust in a most grievous way.

"The evidence against you was overwhelming. Those who have care of children, whether school masters, Scout masters or choir masters, must understand that if they abuse their position of trust they will face a custodial sentence".

Beal was also ordered to sign the Sexual Offenders Register for an indefinite period.

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