Retired teacher convicted of sexual assault

Retired teacher convicted of sexual assault

22 March 2018

A RETIRED Newcastle schoolteacher has been convicted of indecently assaulting six former pupils.

Patrick James Carton (75), of Marguerite Park, was convicted of 29 counts of indecent assault at Downpatrick Crown Court this afternoon following a seven week trial.

The former students, who were teenagers at the time, described similar experiences in which they were told to expose themselves to Carton to be spanked while being privately tutored for maths in their own homes.

The court heard that Carton operated a star system for students, with three stars serving as a warning, four for a smack, five for a smack over underwear and six stars for a smack to the bare bottom.

One woman said she was in “hysterics” after one lesson, while another said Carton told her what happened in the bedroom where she was taught was “their secret”.

The abuse happened between 1983 and 2007.

Carton, who was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register, was released on continuing bail to be sentenced later next month.