A former teacher has been jailed for 13 years for sexually abusing nine pupils.

Jonathan O'Brien was found guilty of 15 counts of indecent assault dating back to his time as a teacher at schools in North Worcestershire and Oxfordshire in the 1980s.

The 56-year-old of Fairfield Road, Bosham, assaulted the boys at Winterfold House, Chaddesley Corbett, near Kidderminster, between 1980 and 1985 and at The Oratory School, near Reading, between 1985 and 1989.

Sentencing him, his Honour Judge Richard Fraser spoke of the suffering recounted in victim impact statements.

He said: "The sentiments expressed reflect the evidence that each of them gave in court - a number of them unable to hold back tears as they were forced to relive your abuse.

"It was abundantly clear from the understandably emotional evidence they gave during your trial that your actions have left a very dark shadow which each them has had to find ways to deal with."

The trial heard the offences had involved pupils who were boarding at both schools and some had taken place at O'Brien's private residence in Oxfordshire while he was teaching at The Oratory.

O'Brien was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and also made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).

Det Sgt Cook, from North Worcestershire CID, led the investigation.

He said: "O'Brien engaged in the systematic abuse of boys over a long period of time. In doing so he also disgracefully abused the position of trust he was in and that was particularly relevant in this case as he was teaching in boarding schools where the children were away from their families and had nowhere else to go.

"He exploited their vulnerability and they did not feel at that time that they could come forward because 'it wasn't the thing to do' and that they wouldn't be believed. Now they are extremely relieved that this has come out into the open.”

He added: "These were extremely serious offences and that is reflected by the sentence handed down by the court today. Hopefully the victims can now put this behind them knowing that O'Brien is paying for his crimes.

"We hope that if there are other victims of O'Brien we are not aware of, this will give them the confidence to come forward as well as reassuring victims of similar offences that even if these matters are reported many years later we will still investigate thoroughly and bring those responsible to justice."