A former teacher has been jailed for more than five years after grooming and sexually abusing two teenage students while in a position of trust.
In 2017, Clifton groomed another pupil, Katherine (not her real name), who was also 15 at the time and studying at a Surrey school. He exploited her struggles with stress and friendships by offering support through creative writing before escalating the relationship into abuse.
Victims Speak Out
In a moving victim impact statement, Alison said:
“Paul Clifton made me feel stupid and unworthy. He created an image that I would never amount to anything without him. What happened to me…is something that can never be undone.”
Katherine said:
“Asking how this impacts my life is like asking someone how they breathe. The age I was when this happened is such a pivotal age. It is when you start finding yourself, when you start carving out who you are. The defendant robbed that from me.”
Police Statement
Investigating officer DC Nicola Deadman described Clifton as a “predator who targeted children,” adding:
“As a teacher, he should have had his students’ safety and best interests at the forefront of his mind. He used the legitimacy of his position to establish trust and then groom the girls he was responsible for safeguarding.
I’d like to pay tribute to the courage of the two victim-survivors, who have shown immense strength of character and bravery in coming forward and reliving these traumatic events to see justice done.”
Safeguarding Concerns
The case has raised further concerns about safeguarding in schools and the long-term damage caused when trusted professionals abuse their positions of power.
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