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School faces legal threat over assault on girl, six
Benedict Moore-Bridger, Evening Standard6 Jun 2008
A London prep school may face legal action after a former teacher was jailed for sex attacks on pupils.
Denis Cochrane, a former choirmaster and music teacher at Norland Place in Kensington, has been found guilty of indecently assaulting children as young as six on school grounds.
Cochrane, of Chiswick, has a history of abuse dating back to 1985. The 59-year-old was jailed in 2003 for seven counts of indecent assault over four years against one 12-year-old boy.
Two weeks ago he was jailed by Blackfriars crown court for assaulting a sixyearold girl between 1992 and 1993 while at Norland Place. She plans to sue the school for negligence.
The girl's family have told the Standard they fear there may be more victims. Her company director father labelled Cochrane "a monster" and said the paedophile's victims had been terrified into silence.
The victim's parents first learned of the attacks in 2005 when she turned 18. Her father said: "She has had 15 years of the most horrendous psychological stress - she, in her words, would say he destroyed her childhood."
Cochrane, already on the Sex Offenders Register, was banned from being alone with children.
Patrick Mattar, headmaster of Norland Place, said: "I am pleased that Cochrane has been brought to justice."
Reader views (1)
My children were pupils at this school. I am appalled that this man was employed to teach at Norland Place School when he had already committed crimes of this kind when he worked at a previous school. Did he have a reference when Mrs Garnsey employed him? I hope his other victims recognize that they are not to blame for his terrible assaults, and have the courage to come forward.
- Esther Rantzen, London, 06/06/2008 14:10
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