A former teacher has been jailed for 12 years for raping and sexually abusing a teenage pupil nearly four decades ago. Anthony Woolford, 76, was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Friday, 18 September, after being convicted of rape, indecent assault and possession of indecent images. The offences date back to the late 1980s, when Woolford was working as a teacher and groomed the victim, who was one of his teenage pupils at the time. Surrey Police said the abuse initially took place on school premises before Woolford began collecting the teenager at weekends under the pretence of taking her to church services. Instead, he would take her out before returning to his address, where further sexual abuse took place and indecent photographs were taken.
Images discovered decades later
Several photographs of the victim were discovered in Woolford’s possession in 2018 during a separate investigation. In 2023, the survivor identified herself as the person shown in the images. Speaking following Woolford’s sentencing, she described the lasting impact of discovering that the photographs still existed. She said: “Finding out that these photos still existed fills me with utter shame. The fact that he kept them, that he never destroyed them, means I will now live with a deep and lasting sense of fear and exposure.” The survivor also described the long-term effect the abuse had on her education, relationships and emotional wellbeing. Woolford denied the allegations and, according to police, claimed he did not know the victim. Responding to his denials, she said: “His denial is not just a lie. It is another attempt to erase me, to erase what he did, and to protect himself at any cost.”
‘My voice matters’
The survivor said reporting the offences had forced her to confront experiences she had spent years trying not to revisit, but had also allowed her to stand up for the child she once was. She said: “For the first time, I am not carrying this alone. Coming forward has forced me to relive things I never wanted to revisit. But I am here because my voice matters. “By reporting what he did…I have stood up for the child I once was, and for every child who deserves protection and safety.” Investigating officer DC Fiona Clare paid tribute to the survivor’s courage in coming forward. She said: “Her bravery has put Woolford behind bars, and it would not have happened without her.” DC Clare said a pre-sentence report assessed Woolford as presenting a risk that was “unmanageable in the community” and considered him “highly likely to re-offend”. She added that by reporting the historic abuse, the survivor had helped protect others from potential future offending.
Originally published by UKNIP.
