UK court sentences teacher for abusing students in UAE school

A UK court has jailed a British teacher for sexually abusing two children in the UAE over eight years.

P.S., 49, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the crime, the UK’s government’s National Crime Agency (NCA) reported on Thursday.

The paedophile taught at an English school in the country from 2004 until March 2019 before being sacked following allegations that he had sexually molested children, NCA said.

The UK law enforcement agency said the accused was arrested after he returned to the UK from UAE, following a complaint by the school.

Subsequent investigation showed that P.S. had begun grooming two children from the ages of eight and nine, gaining their trust and encouraging them to spend time with him through the offer of gifts and trips, NCA said.

“His campaign of abuse took place over eight years, during which P.S. sexually assaulted his victims on a number of occasions and took indecent photographs of them,” NCA said.

P.S. was charged with six counts of child sexual abuse under section 72 of the Sexual Offences Act, which allows British nationals to be prosecuted in the UK for abuse committed overseas.

Early this year he was convicted by a jury at Kingston Crown Court of five counts, including sexual assault of a child under 13 (2011-2015), two counts of sexual activity with a child (2016-2019), and two counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act (2010-2017).

He was sentenced on Thursday at the same court to a total of 10 years in prison, plus two years on licence.

He is also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

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Ian Truby from the National Crime Agency said: “P.S. positioned himself as a caring and trustworthy teacher in order to befriend children and their families.

“He then abused their trust in the most horrific way; through the systemic grooming and sexual assault of these children over a number of years.

“P.S. thought that he could run away from his crimes by returning to the UK. However, the NCA works closely with international partners to ensure British nationals who commit offences against victims overseas are brought to justice.”

• Dubai