A former teacher has been jailed for four years for sexually abusing schoolboys during the 1970s and 1980s.

Christopher Hart, 79, indecently assaulted boys aged between eight and 13-years-old while working at Edge Grove School in Aldenham, where he was a science and computer studies teacher.

He was found guilty of eight counts of indecent assault against five boys, all under 14 at the time, at Harrow Crown Court yesterday (April 10).

Described as “scary” by some of his victims, Hart would find ways to be alone with a boy; on other occasions he would play fight with groups of boys, targeting one boy and sexually abusing them.

Much of the abuse took place at the school – with some instances happening near the pool where Hart supervised swimming lessons.

One assault took place near his cottage in Devon where he took the boys for end-of-year school trips.

In 2017, some 30 years on, one victim reported the abuse to the head teacher at the school, who advised him to go to the police.

An investigation began and other former schoolboys agreed to give evidence.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Jason Wolfe for the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Christopher Hart took advantage of his position as a teacher to commit these awful crimes which have had life-long consequences for his victims.

“We recognise how difficult it has been for the victims to give evidence in this case - for some of them this was the first time they have spoken about what happened to them. We hope they feel a sense of justice now Hart has been convicted.”

Hart will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.