Former teacher Jeremy Dowling jailed for sex abuse

Jeremy Dowling served the Diocese of Truro for 25 years, working as a press officer

A former teacher who sexually abused schoolboys decades ago has been jailed for seven years at Truro Crown Court.

Jeremy Dowling, 77, also an ex-press officer for the Diocese of Truro, assaulted five boys aged between 12 and 15 when working at a preparatory school from 1959 to 1971.

Dowling left the school in 1972 following a police investigation but the inquiry "went nowhere."

Judge Graham Cottle told Dowling he had committed a "gross breach of trust".

He also said his actions had "caught up" with him.

Dowling, of Church Path, Bude, retired from the Diocese of Truro in 2009 after 25 years of service.

The case came to light when one of the victims went to the police in 2014.

Dowling pleaded guilty in June to 13 counts of indecent assault on boys aged 12 to 15 and two counts of indecency with a child.

'Parent Power'

Garth Richardson, prosecuting, told the court Dowling had been asked to leave the school in 1972 after a police investigation that came to nothing because of "parent power."

He said: "Some parents did not want their boys to be put through it. Some were friendly with the headmaster and did not want bad publicity."

Dowling had made a "very positive contribution to society" and had tried to "atone for his behaviour" since leaving the school, Mark Barlow, defending, told the court.

In his closing remarks, Judge Cottle said Dowling had shown considerable remorse and by pleading guilty spared the boys the shame and embarrassment of having to relive the experience.

But he said Dowling had taken advantage of his position and committed "serious sexual abuse at the top end of seriousness."

"In 1972 there was some sort of police investigation which went nowhere, and so you got away with what you did and now it has caught up with you," the judge said.