A former Wiltshire school teacher and choirmaster has been sentenced to four years imprisonment for historical sex offences against one of his former pupils.

Robert Kalton, 88, of Ashby Road, Burton upon Trent, was sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court for a string of offences against a former pupil that took place over several years.

The former teacher and church choirmaster of St Augustine's Roman Catholic School pleaded guilty to four counts of gross indecency with a boy under the age of 14 and two counts of gross indecency with a boy under the age of 16 at a previous hearing on November 24.

 

The court heard that at the time the investigation started Kalton was already serving a four-year prison sentence for similar offending.

In total Kalton has been convicted of 32 sexual offences against at least six young boys. His offending spanned a period of two decades and he operated in various locations across the UK.

The victim in this case came to police in December 2019 and reported that the maths teacher Kalton had abused him multiple times over a five-year period when he was aged between 11 and 16 years old, with these offences dating back to the 1970s.

In a statement released by his victim to the court, the former pupil said: "Robert Kalton was a teacher. He was also a religious man. As such he had power and respect.

"He occupied a position of trust, and he abused that trust in the worst way possible. School is a place where you spend a large proportion of your childhood.

"It is a place where you should feel safe. Instead, I was made to dread and fear going to school."

Detective Sergeant Rachel Winter of Wiltshire Police said: “Robert Kalton is a sexual predator who used his position of authority as a teacher and member of the Catholic church to systematically abuse young boys.

"He stole his victim’s childhoods and changed their lives forever. They have lived with what happened to them for many years, and undoubtedly the crimes committed have affected them ever since.

"The victim in this case has shown immense courage throughout the investigation and legal proceedings. It is their perseverance which has resulted in the conviction.

"This case also highlights that no matter the length of time that has passed, the public should feel reassured that we will thoroughly investigate non-recent offences and support and work with victims throughout."

At the hearing today Kalton was sentenced to four years for one count of indecent assault on a boy under 14.

On three further counts of indecent assault on a boy under 14 he received sentences of 20 weeks, two years, and two years respectively.

On two counts of indecent assault on a man aged 16 or over he received one year and one year respectively. 

The six sentences will run concurrently

He is also on the sex offenders register for life.