Barcombe man charged with historic sex offences at Ashdown House School

A Barcombe man has been charged with a series of historic sexual offences against pupils at an East Sussex boarding school.
web standing-images. Sussex Police. SUS-150527-120457001web standing-images. Sussex Police. SUS-150527-120457001
web standing-images. Sussex Police. SUS-150527-120457001

Maurice Victor Clive Williams, 71, retired, of High St, Barcombe, East Sussex, has been charged with four offences, two of indecent assault and two of gross indecency, all with a girl under 16.

Another man, Martin Haigh, 66, unemployed, of Lavender St, Brighton, has also been charged with eleven offences, five of indecent assault and six of gross indecency.

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Four of the indecent assault charges against Haigh involve one boy and the fifth charge involves another boy. Two of the gross indecency charges involve the boy subject of the four indecent assault charges, two involve a second boy, one involves another third boy and one involves a fourth boy. All the boys were aged under 16 at the time of the alleged offences.

The offences are alleged to have occurred while both men were employed as teachers at Ashdown House School near Forest Row. None of the offences are alleged to have been committed jointly.

The charges, authorised by the CPS, follow an investigation by East Sussex child safeguarding detectives.

Williams and Haigh are due to appear on police bail at Brighton Magistrates Court on April 21.

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Police emphasise that there are no current or recent safeguarding issues at the school in relation to this case.

A third man, now aged 68, arrested in Tadley, Hants, in January 2015 on suspicion of gross indecency, has been stood down from his police bail while the CPS consider the evidence in relation to him.

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