Former East Grinstead prep school teacher jailed for sex attacks on pupils

Police said Jeremy Malim, now of Route Gare, Morteaux-Coliboeuf in Normandy, sexually assaulted three boys whilst he was a senior master and French teacher at Brambletye Prep School near East Grinstead between 1975 and 2002.

After a nine day trial at Hove Crown Court the 73-year-old was convicted of six counts of indecent assault against the boys and was found not guilty of two further counts of indecent assault against one of the boys.

He was jailed for six years and will be a registered sex offender for life.

Detective Constable Phil Cracknell of the East Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit, said; “The first two of these victims came to us, quite separately in 2014 and 2015, for the first time. Through one of them we then traced the third victim.

“They have all given evidence at the trial and we admire their readiness to describe what happened to them, even after all these years, and the impact it has had on their lives.”

DC Cracknell said one of the victims came forward after seeing publicity about other recent cases in which offenders have been jailed for historic sex offences.

He continued: “Our investigation found that Malim used his position of authority and trust to effectively ‘groom’ the boys he approached into a situation in which they felt unable to resist or report his advances, which consisted of touching them inside their clothing,often making light of it and often in almost plain sight of other boys.

“The young and vulnerable victims somehow accepted it at the time but it is quite clear that their distressing experiences stayed with them.

“The sentencing sends a message that we always take seriously and investigate such reports, no matter how long ago the events are said to have happened.

“Anyone in Sussex with such concerns can contact us at any time either online or by calling 101, and arrange to talk in confidence to experienced investigators.”

Police added Malim left Brambletye School 16 years ago and there are no current safeguarding concerns in relation to pupils at the school, now or recently.