A former teacher has been found guilty of a series of historic child sex offences after a court heard she repeatedly abused a young boy she was privately tutoring during the 1990s. Deborah Franklin, 65, of Radlett, Hertfordshire, was convicted at St Albans Crown Court of eight counts of gross indecency with a child. The offences were committed over a period of several years when the complainant was aged between nine and 12 years old.
Jury Hears of Repeated Abuse
During the trial, prosecutors told jurors that Franklin had gained the trust of the boy’s parents through her role as a private tutor, allowing her access to his bedroom for one-to-one lessons. The court heard the abuse took place during tutoring sessions and on other occasions between the early and mid-1990s. The complainant, now in his 40s, told jurors that Franklin carried out repeated sexual acts and described one occasion where she allegedly blindfolded him and tied him to a bed before abusing him. He also described other incidents at both his family home and the defendant’s property.
Sister Interrupted One Incident
Jurors heard one incident was interrupted when the complainant’s sister entered his bedroom and found Franklin underneath the bed covers with him. The sister described Franklin as charismatic and said she had become a trusted figure within the family.
Defendant Denied Allegations
Franklin denied all of the allegations throughout the trial. Giving evidence, she claimed she had little recollection of tutoring the complainant and insisted there was no truth in the allegations. She told the court that social interaction between teachers, parents and pupils had not been unusual at the time and denied behaving inappropriately. The defence argued that her relationship with the boy had been entirely proper.
Historic Allegations Reported in 2024
The complainant first reported the abuse to police in 2024, leading to a Hertfordshire Constabulary investigation. Franklin, who was still working as a teacher and home tutor when she was arrested and charged, was suspended by her school after the allegations came to light.
Sentencing in October
Following the guilty verdicts, Judge Kamran Choudhry remanded Franklin into custody. He told the defendant she faces a “high possibility” of receiving an immediate custodial sentence. Franklin is due to be sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on 1 October. The conviction follows a trial at which a jury heard evidence before unanimously finding Franklin guilty of the offences.
