Former dance teacher guilty of sexual assaults

Gregory Pichery was convicted at Leicester Crown Court

A dance teacher who touched his students during class and while they were trying on costumes has been found guilty of sexual assault.

Police said Gregory Pichery targeted two men, aged 19 and 20, on multiple occasions while he was working at a performing arts college in Leicester between 2004 and 2013.

Police said in 2019 another man reported Pichery exposed himself and made the victim touch him inappropriately at a grooming salon in Oadby.

Pichery, now 57, of Blackpool, was found guilty of four counts of sexual assault following a trial at Leicester Crown Court on Monday.

Leicestershire Police said the first victim contacted the force and told detectives Pichery had also tried to perform sexual acts on him.

The investigation later identified a second victim, who said Pichery had sent him sexual comments on social media and had also touched him inappropriately while he was a student at the college, the force said.

In 2019, police were contacted by a third victim who said he had been sexually assaulted by Pichery during a visit to a grooming salon in Oadby, where Pichery worked.

Possible other victims

Pichery was convicted of two counts of sexual assault relating to two separate victims and two counts relating to one victim.

He is due to be sentenced at Leicester Crown Court on 12 December.

Det Con Emma Burrows said: "It's clear from the nature of his offending that Pichery is someone who acts on opportunities to fulfil his sexual gratification.

"He clearly wasn't thinking about how his behaviour impacted on each of the victims.

"I hope this outcome provides a degree of closure and allows them to put what happened behind them.

"Pichery's behaviour suggests there may be other victims who have not contacted police."

Burrows urged anyone who has been a victim of Pichery to contact police.