Public school teacher Bruce Roth jailed for sexual abuse

Bruce Roth - PA Roth taught at Kings's School in Rochester and Wellington College at Crowthorne, Berkshire

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A teacher has been jailed for 11 years for sexually abusing five boys at public schools in Berkshire and Kent.

Bruce Roth, 46, groomed and performed sex acts on three boys while teaching at Wellington College, Crowthorne, jurors at Reading Crown Court heard.

He also abused two boys, aged between eight and 10, while working at King's School in Rochester, Kent.

Roth had denied 17 offences, including sexual activity with a child and indecent assault.

The police investigation went back to the 1980s and concluded with Roth's arrest in 2009.

'Sickened and appalled'

Roth denied all the charges against him, accusing his victims of conspiring against him because they did not like him as a teacher.

Before handing down the sentence, Judge Simon Davis described it as a "sad and dreadful case".

He told Roth he had "abused his position of trust", adding: "You carefully chose your targets."

Wellington College's master Anthony Seldon said he was "deeply sickened and appalled" by the case.

He said Roth had been suspended as soon as the accusations were reported.

"During the subsequent investigations we have worked closely with the authorities to ensure that no stone has been left unturned and that the police managed to gather sufficient evidence to lead to a conviction," he added.

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