Secondary school 'repeatedly ignored warnings that music teacher was sexually abusing dozens of young girls'

• Convicted paedophile Michael Crombie, 75, jailed for a further three years
• New case added to 2010 conviction of five years for abusing 29 young girls
• Another 30 victims stepped forward after music teacher's 2010 trial

By Sara Malm

Ex-music teacher: Convicted peado Michael Crombie was today found guilty of further offences against 30 girls

A London secondary school repeatedly ignored warnings that a music teacher was sexually abusing young female pupils, a court heard today.
Convicted paedophile Michael Crombie, 75, was accused by a series of girls and their parents whilst working at Wanstead High School, yet head teachers refused to take action.
Crombie was was jailed for five years in 2010 after being convicted of charges relating to the systematic abuse of 29 young girls whilst working as a music teacher in East London.
Today he was given a further three years after another 30 victims stepped forward following his last trial in 2010.
The latest case emerged after one former pupil, whom Crombie abused whilst teaching her in sixth form, was outraged by his request for a character reference during his last trial in 2010 and stepped forward.
The Old Bailey heard she taught at his home, where he regularly kissed her, asked her to turn up to lessons naked, and told her to imagine how she would react to him raping her.
'She replied she would run out screaming, and he said no-one would believe her,' said Sandy Canavan, prosecuting.
A further victim, who was groped and kissed by Crombie, was told chillingly by the abuser: 'if you sing the notes right this wouldn't be happening.'
Jailing him for three years, Judge Wendy Joseph QC slammed the two schools where Crombie had worked for failing to take claims of abuse seriously.
She said: 'It is clear that complaints were made to schools by a number of girls on a number of occasions, but nobody took any, or any adequate, steps to ensure that this defendant was stopped from preying on girls in his charge.

 

'For many years Mr Crombie was not brought to book, either because a complaint was not made or because those in authority, who could have pursued matters, did not.'
The latest charges relate to a period when Crombie worked first at Beal Grammar School, in Redbridge, east London, from 1964 to 1974, and then at Wanstead High School, also east London, until 2007.
His victims were all girls aged between 11 and 17.

Disregarded: Head teachers at Wanstead High School repeatedly ignored warnings that paedophile Crombie sexually abused their pupils

Crombie, who will serve the three-year term after finishing his current sentence, was arrested in prison after the fresh allegations were made, but denied them until barely a fortnight before his trial was due to begin.
Ms Canavan said the paedophile 'selected his victims with care, groomed them, and made them feel they were responsible for what was happening.'
'He would use his status and position to deny the charges and offer innocent explanations for what had happened,' she said of his tactic for staying out of trouble.
While at Beal Grammar School, Crombie began a sexual fling with a 14-year-old girl whom he was teaching bassoon, eventually being trusted by her parents to babysit her at their home, and to let her stay with his family.
Crombie manipulated her into performing sex acts on him in the school's music room cupboard, and also while he was driving.

Bad move: Michael Crombie was jailed in 2010, but made the mistake of asking a woman he abused for a character reference during the trial, after which she and another 30 victims came forward

Scene: Mr Crombie abused young girls at Beal High School in east London, one 14-year-old victim called him 'possessive

Looking back, she told police he was a 'possessive control freak.'
'I wanted him to want me, and he obviously did at the time,' she said. 'It made me feel good - I was his chosen one.'
She told police that his sexual interest in her was 'common knowledge' at the school, but no action was ever taken to stop it.
After getting a job at Wanstead High School, Crombie began inappropriately touching the legs and knees of girls he was teaching instruments to.
He also repeatedly used 'breathing exercises' as an excuse to touch their bodies, and took them swimming to indulge his aquaphilia - a fetish for watching people underwater.
While putting a young harpist through the pointless routine, he grabbed her breasts, and then shoved her against a wall and kissed her.

Crombie also  put his hands down another girl's underwear as she auditioned for a singing part in a school show, while another said he was 'known throughout the school as a perv'.

Horror lesson: Crombie told victim 'if you sing the notes right this wouldn't be happening,' the Old Bailey heard

'Given that most of the girls who attended music lessons were aware of the defendant's behaviour, it is hard to understand why no members of staff shared their suspicions,' said the prosecutor said.
Judge Joseph said Crombie's crimes had left a 'real and lasting impact' on his victims, one of whom became anorexic around the time of his abuse, with several going on to suffer depression.
'It was a prolonged and manipulative campaign of sexual abuse,' she said.
'There are themes running through these statements, reflecting the anger of these women at the way he took over their lives. It is clear that several of them believe his actions have affected their relationships in later life.'
In a statement, one victim described 'feeling self-loathing, because he was manipulating her into doing this, and she was powerless to stop him.'
Another said she was now paranoid about the safety of her own children.
The judge added: 'The fact he is being sentenced now rather than earlier can to some extent be placed at his own door, because he has consistently denied wrongdoing.
'When the pleas did come, I could detect no element of remorse.'
Crombie, formerly of Woodford Green, Essex, admitted 47 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual activity with a child.

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