Eton College's Head Teacher Apologises After Former Teacher Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting Pupil
The headteacher of Eton college has expressed "appalled" sentiment after a former teacher was jailed for sexually assaulting a pupil at his flat and during a school trip in 2012. Jacob Leland, then 23 years old, carried out the assaults while working as a Russian teacher at the prestigious all-boys boarding school in Berkshire.
Leland's offending behaviour included inviting a pupil to his flat, where he gave them alcohol and cigarettes before kissing the boy and engaging in further sexual acts. The assault was also committed during a school trip when Leland performed oral sex on the pupil.
During a trial last year, Leland was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault on a male. His sentencing has now been confirmed, with him being jailed for 3 years and 3 months.
The headteacher, Simon Henderson, has since issued an apology on behalf of Eton college, stating that he remains "appalled" by the abuse that occurred at the school. He acknowledged that it took several years for the details of what happened to come to light, but expressed regret that the pupil was not safe and secure in the care of the school.
Henderson said that safeguarding is a top priority at Eton college and that all incidents are dealt with according to established processes. The school works closely with external authorities when necessary, as it did in this case.
The sentence has been welcomed by experts, who noted that the relationship between teacher and student gives rise to a significant level of responsibility towards the victim. The court was told that the pupil had experienced long-lasting and serious psychological effects from Leland's actions.
Prince William and Prince Harry are among Eton college's most notable former pupils, while 20 former prime ministers have also attended the school.
The headteacher of Eton college has expressed "appalled" sentiment after a former teacher was jailed for sexually assaulting a pupil at his flat and during a school trip in 2012. Jacob Leland, then 23 years old, carried out the assaults while working as a Russian teacher at the prestigious all-boys boarding school in Berkshire.
Leland's offending behaviour included inviting a pupil to his flat, where he gave them alcohol and cigarettes before kissing the boy and engaging in further sexual acts. The assault was also committed during a school trip when Leland performed oral sex on the pupil.
During a trial last year, Leland was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault on a male. His sentencing has now been confirmed, with him being jailed for 3 years and 3 months.
The headteacher, Simon Henderson, has since issued an apology on behalf of Eton college, stating that he remains "appalled" by the abuse that occurred at the school. He acknowledged that it took several years for the details of what happened to come to light, but expressed regret that the pupil was not safe and secure in the care of the school.
Henderson said that safeguarding is a top priority at Eton college and that all incidents are dealt with according to established processes. The school works closely with external authorities when necessary, as it did in this case.
The sentence has been welcomed by experts, who noted that the relationship between teacher and student gives rise to a significant level of responsibility towards the victim. The court was told that the pupil had experienced long-lasting and serious psychological effects from Leland's actions.
Prince William and Prince Harry are among Eton college's most notable former pupils, while 20 former prime ministers have also attended the school.
. An institution like Eton College has a responsibility to protect its students, especially from someone in a position of power like a teacher. It's not okay that it took years for the truth to come out and that the pupil wasn't safe at school. The fact that the headteacher is now apologizing and saying they prioritize safeguarding just feels a bit too little, too late 
. I mean, 3 years and 3 months isn't exactly a slap on the wrist for someone who's caused so much harm to a young person. I hope the school takes this as an opportunity to review their processes and make sure something like this never happens again 
...the idea that someone who's supposed to be a guardian figure, especially in an institution like Eton where these kids are already pretty vulnerable, can engage in something so heinous is just heartbreaking 
...and the psychological trauma that kid went through, man that's just devastating 
...safeguarding is supposed to be a top priority, but I guess it's not always easy to get it right...still, I'm glad they're taking responsibility and trying to make things right 
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This whole thing is just heartbreaking, you know? I mean, a teacher is supposed to be a mentor, a guide, but for some reason, Jacob Leland crossed this huge boundary and hurt that poor kid so badly. And what really gets me is that it took years for someone to step forward and speak out about what happened.
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I'm so sad to hear about this... 
They need to review their policies and procedures to ensure teachers are held accountable, especially when it comes to minors. 
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. The fact that it took years for the truth to come out is just a red flag that there was something seriously wrong with the way this school handled things 
u can't believe what's been goin on at Eton College 
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. They're doin' the right thing by apologizin' and takin' responsibility 
this is just heartbreaking... a teacher abusing his power like that is just unimaginable 
. Eton college needs to make sure that they're doing everything in their power to prevent something like this from happening again, like having a zero-tolerance policy for staff members who engage in any kind of abuse or misconduct 
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Did they even do background checks on teachers? 
. And I'm sure he didn't know about Leland's issues back then, but still... 
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Like, is it just boiling water and adding milk and sugar, or is there some secret to making the perfect cuppa? 
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. And can you believe some of the people who have attended this school?!