High-flying headmistress who transformed school into one of best in the country charged with sex attacks on young boy



Anne Lakey, 53, is chief executive of the Durham Federation of schools



Lakey was hailed 'inspiring leader' by schools head Sir Michael Wilshaw

She has been charged with indecent assault, gross indecency, and incitement to commit gross indecency on one boy aged under 16

Since Lakey was suspended a year ago, there have been two successors

But both successors, Trevor Dunn and Sam Robbins, were both also suspended from the role, for reasons unconnected to Lakey's suspension

High-flying headmistress Anne Lakey, 53, has been charged with eight child sex offences involving one boy aged under 16

The headmistress of one of the most improved schools in the country has been charged with a string of child sex offences.

Anne Lakey, 53, chief executive of the Durham Federation, has been suspended since last December and was yesterday charged with eight allegations relating to a boy aged under 16.

The Crown Prosecution Service said Mrs Lakey faces four counts of indecent assault, two counts of gross indecency and two counts of incitement to commit gross indecency, all involving the same boy and said to have taken place between April 1988 and May 1989.

The Durham Federation includes Durham Community Business College (DCBC) and Fyndoune Community College in Sacriston, County Durham.



DCBC became a pioneer of vocational education, while Fyndoune has been named among the most improved state secondary schools in the country for each of the last three years.

The alleged victim was not a pupil at any school where Lakey, from Stanley, County Durham, has worked.

A teacher since 1982, and a member of the National Leaders of Education, a body set up to transform struggling schools, Lakey is a national pioneer in schooling.

Last year she was hailed as an example of 'inspiring leadership' by the chief inspector of schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw.

Caroline O’Neill, head of education at Durham County Council, said the charges were ‘clearly very concerning’.

She added: 'They refer to allegations regarding offences said to have occurred in 1988 and 1989.

'I would like to reassure everyone that we will continue to offer our support to parents, pupils and the school to ensure that the education and wellbeing of young people is not affected.'



Governors and senior teachers will be briefed on the news today and pupils will be given letters to take home this evening.



Lakey, who was suspended from her position a year ago, was succeeded by Trevor Dunn, a former principal of DCBC. However he was himself suspended in October, only to be replaced by former head of Fyndoune, Sam Robbins.

Durham Community Business College, part of the Durham Federation run by Lakey, specialises in vocational training Fyndoune Community College (with head Trevor Dunn pictured) has soared up the school league tables

Mrs Robbins, who succeeded Mr Dunn having previously been head of Fyndoune, was also suspended just a few weeks later, leaving pupils' parents angry about being 'kept in the dark' about what was going on behind the school gates.



Ms O’Neill said the charges against Lakey were ‘entirely unrelated’ to the suspension of Mr Dunn and Mrs Robbins and the latter two have now returned to their posts at DCBC and Fyndoune.

However, the council has refused to say why they had been suspended.