Former Teacher From Chiswick Jailed

Michael Ellis found guilty of sexually abusing two boys at St. Paul’s

A teacher from Chiswick has been jailed for eight years after being convicted of two counts of abusing boys at St Paul’s School in Barnes.

Michael Ellis

71-year-old Michael Ellis of Bolton Road was also found guilty of four counts of possessing indecent images of children. He had been convicted in July of last year but the news of his conviction was subject to reporting restrictions which were lifted today (6 February) following the end of the case against Patrick Marshall who also taught at the school. Marshall was found guilty of 24 counts of indecent assault. Some of the accusations against him related to incidents that took place in a flat he used to own in the Strand on the Green area. Another teacher at the school, 72-year-old David Samson-Mallett, has been jailed for 14 years after being found guilty of the abuse of four boys one of whom was at the school.

Patrick Marshall

The three men had previously been arrested by officers as part of Operation Winthorpe which was investigating abuse at St Paul’s and in the Barnes area. Michael Ellis was charged with one count of indecent assault on a 14-year-old boy in 1973, one count of indecent assault on a 16-year-old boy in 1992. He was first arrested back in July 2015.

There were several other former St Paul's teachers who were tried as part of Operation Winthorpe. Their cases were also subject to reporting restrictions. Carol Chandler was found not guilty on the two charges she facedafter a trial at Southwark Crown Court in November 2016. Stephen Hale taught at the school between 1983 and 1987. He was charged with five sexual offences against four boys but found not guilty and all counts last July after the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence. A 60-year-old man from Sutton was sentenced to four months imprisonment, suspended for two years, at Kingston Crown Court in June 2015 after he pleaded guilty to 10 counts of making indecent photographs of children and five counts of possessing indecent photographs of children. The man was a teacher at St Paul's School in September 2013. A 61-year-old man, who was arrested on 4 June 2013 on suspicion of sexual assault on a child, was later released with no further action.

Detective Superintendent Ang Scott who led the investigation said, "The conviction of Patrick Marshall marks the end of Operation Winthorpe, which has been a three-year investigation into allegations of non-recent sexual abuse by teachers at St Paul's School.

"Sansom-Mallett and Ellis, two former St Paul's teachers, have already received lengthy sentences of imprisonment after they were found guilty of indecently assaulting boys.

"These convictions demonstrate that, no matter the length of time, allegations of sexual abuse will be thoroughly investigated and offenders brought to justice."

Anyone who has been the victim of sexual assault should contact their local police force, or call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000.

Samuel Main, spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said, “We hope the conviction of Patrick Marshall today, along with the convictions of two other former St Paul’s teachers, will bring some sense of justice and closure for their many victims.

“These men groomed and abused vulnerable boys using their status as teachers, in Marshall’s case befriending their families before going on to abuse their sons and their trust.

“Each of the victims has shown great bravery in coming forward and but for their courage it would not have been possible to bring these prosecutions.”

February 7, 2017