Retired Teacher Jailed for Historic Child Abuse at Prestigious School
Peter John Howard Webb, 77, has been handed a 12-month jail term at Hove Crown Court after being found guilty of indecently assaulting a boy aged 11-12 in the early 1970s. The attacks took place at Christ’s Hospital School near Horsham, where Webb was a teacher.
Persistent Predator Caught After Years of Abuse
The conviction follows a three-day trial and comes after a new report was made in August 2019, prompting an investigation by Sussex Police’s Complex Abuse Unit. Webb was already serving time for a string of indecent assaults on five other boys at the same school between 1974 and 1984. These earlier offences earned him a total of seven years behind bars.
Webb was a woodwork teacher and housemaster during that decade and is now a registered sex offender for life. He is subject to a strict Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) restricting his contact with young people.
Victims Find Courage to Speak Out Decades Later
“This is the third time that Webb has faced justice, as his victims from so many years ago have gradually found the strength to come forward,” said Detective Sergeant Rebecca Wilde of Sussex Police.
“He systematically targeted vulnerable boys while abusing his position of trust for his own gratification. One victim recalls the ‘distinctive aroma of stale alcohol and tobacco’ linked to Webb during their secret, predatory relationship.”
“We will always pursue these cases, no matter how long ago they occurred, to support victims and seek justice.”
Police Urge Victims to Come Forward
Detectives stress that the abuses took place over 45 years ago and have no connection to the current school management. Sussex Police praised the school’s full cooperation during the investigation.
If you have been affected or know someone who has, the police encourage you to come forward. You can contact them in confidence online or by ringing 101 to speak with experienced investigators.
