A supply teacher has been jailed for more than eight years after he assaulted six students as young as 7 in only 21 days at his new job.
27-year-old Jonathan Clayton from Durham was described by his victims as creepy and weird.
He faced 13 charges against the children at the primary school after working as a supply teacher in 2019.
The court heard how Clayton’s behavior left the victims fearful of teachers and traumatized. He was sentenced to 8 years and a half after Judge Howard Crowson heard the victim impact statements of some of the girls.
Clayton carried out the assaults last year on six girls aged between 7 and 11.
“You only taught at the school for 21 school days and during that short time you sexually assaulted six little girls, some of them more than once,” the judge said.
“During the trial you represented yourself as man of good character. You were employed at the school upon that basis, but whist it is correct that you have not previously been convicted of any offence I cannot view you as a man with a true good character.”
The judge continued: “During this trial a child from your first school in County Durham spoke of assaults that she suffered at your hands in 2017 and a teaching assistant working there at the same time witnessed your inappropriate and sexualised behaviour towards children in your care.
“In combination those witnesses observations were so similar to your behaviour that I am sure that your behaviour in this case was a continuation of the inappropriate and sexualised behaviour which was first witnessed in County Durham.
“I heard evidence from parents who sent their children to school expecting them to be educated and nurtured in a safe and caring environment.”
He added: “Some of them spoke of feeling guilty and feeling that they had failed to protect their children from you. So too I heard from teachers and head teachers who were fooled by your charismatic and confident classroom manner.
“They feel let down and some live with the fear that they failed to spot your deviant behaviour and wonder whether they may have prevented you from abusing these children.”
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Replaced!