Legal News

A headmistress who transformed a school into one of the best in the UK has been charged with sex abuse offences against a boy under the age of 16.

Chief executive of the Durham Federation of Schools, Anne Lakey, 53, is charged with indecent assault, gross indecency and incitement to commit gross indecency. The eight charges relate to the same boy – he is not thought to be a pupil at any of the schools Ms Lakey taught at.

She is facing four counts of indecent assault, two counts of gross indecency and a further two counts of incitement to commit gross indecency between March 1988 and May 1989.

The Durham Confederation of Schools includes Durham Community Business College (DCBC) and Fyndoune Community College in Sacriston.

Ms Lakey was suspended from the confederation in December 2012 pending investigations and was charged on Thursday (04/12/13).

The head of education at Durham County Council said the charges were “clearly very concerning”. Caroline O’Neill said in a statement:

“I would like to reassure everyone that we will continue to offer our support to parents, pupils and the school to ensure that the education and wellbeing of young people is not affected.”

Staff who succeeded to the post left vacant after Ms Lakey was suspended have also been suspended. Ms O’Neill said the suspensions were not related to Ms Lakey’s case, but Durham County Council refused to confirm why the suspensions had been imposed.

Ms Lakey was thought of as a pioneer in education and had been teaching since 1982 before her suspension. She established the National Leaders of Education to help struggling schools and was praised by the chief inspector of schools for her work.

In a separate case, a former teacher from the UK is facing a 10-year jail sentence in Trinidad after allegedly abusing a nine-year-old boy on his yacht.

Former teacher Derek Ide, 66, from Southampton pleaded guilty to serious indecency after the charge was changed from grievous sexual assault at the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court.

The boy involved and his parents are not from Trinidad and Ide was arrested in April this year after the nine-year-old told his parents what had happened on the yacht.
It is thought the boy’s father apprehended Ide and then called the police.

It is also reported that Ide appeared in court with a black eye which he tried to hide by placing his hand over it.
The Foreign Office has confirmed Ide’s arrest and that it is providing consular assistance him.

Duncan Lewis Criminal Solicitors

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In cases such as child abuse, it is important to take legal advice as soon as possible if you think you may be questioned under caution, arrested or charged with sexual offences against children.

Contact the Duncan Lewis Emergency Hotline for urgent advice about serious crime charges such as child abuse, rape or murder on 0203 7275 2036.