A former headteacher has been jailed for 10 years for sex attacks on 35 girls in their classrooms.

Gordon Fleming, 66, assaulted girls as young as nine after calling them to his desk to discuss their work or while giving guitar lessons.

A court heard harrowing evidence from the victims, now women, who described how Fleming blighted their lives – damaging their relationships and leaving them with health and mental health problems.

Fleming, whose wife watched from the back of the court, admitted 60 charges of indecent assault against girls under the age of 13 at two primary schools in mid and north Wales.

Robin Rouch, prosecuting, said the abuse would often taken place when the girls sat on Fleming’s knee as they discussed their homework and classwork.

Rouch told Swansea crown court: “Fleming was a very stern teacher and had a temper which intimidated pupils. But parents highly respected him and he had a good reputation in the community.”

One victim – a mother of two children – who gave evidence in person, told the court: “I felt helpless and unable to stop him. He was in a position of power and I was powerless. He would shut the door of the classroom and I would be trapped with him.”

She told the court she suffered from depression and anxiety as she grew up and “felt dead inside”.

The woman said: “I have suffered from panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder. The legacy of abuse has affected my life, my children’s, my parents and my work.”

Another victim said in her impact statement that if she got her maths tables wrong he would rub himself against her as she sat on his knee. He would do the same thing as he was teaching her to play the guitar.

The offences took place between 1972 and 1987. Fleming was previouslyjailed for similar offences that took place at a third school.

Jailing him, Judge Geraint Walters said: “You were in a position of considerable trust; your victims were young, naive and innocent, and respectful of your position.

“You used your position as a means to take advantage of these girls by repeatedly abusing them. It led to damaged lives for many years and it is no exaggeration to say your conduct has forever blighted their lives.

“One victim said that you were scary and predatory, which left its mark on her for ever, and it describes the wickedness of what you did. I have not come across a case where there are so many victims.

“It was on a truly remarkable scale of offending over a significant period of time affecting the lives of so many.”

As he was sentenced, Fleming smiled and waved to his wife and blew her a kiss as he was led away.

Outside court, Nicola Powell, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Gordon Fleming hid behind his reputation as a well-respected teacher for decades, exploiting his position of trust within the education system. He used his authority to fulfil his sexual gratification.

“Thanks to the bravery of his victims he has been shown to be a perpetrator of repeated sexual abuse and has finally been brought to justice.”

