A primary school music teacher, who downloaded child porn, has been convicted of fondling a nine-year old boy during a lunchtime piano lesson and warned by a judge to expect to go to prison.
John Gowers, 52, of Great Water Farm Cottages, Ashurst Wood, East Grinstead was bailed to return to Woolwich Crown Court for sentencing on December 6.
"You must understand that even though I am granting you bail that is no indication of the likely outcome," Judge Andrew Lees told Gowers. "The most likely outcome is an immediate custodial sentence for these matters."
He denied, but was convicted of two counts of sexually assaulting the boy on December 5, last year at the unnamed school in the London Borough of Lewisham.
Before the trial Gowers pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing indecent images, which relate to sixteen at Level One - the lowest category - six at Level Two and one at Level Four.
The vile content was found on his home computer, which was seized and examined by police investigating the sexual assault allegation and revealed internet searches including: 'pre-teen boy nudity' and 'boy sex'.
Gowers' lawyer Miss Lauren Soertsz asked for the probation service to prepare a pre-sentence report and revealed she will be urging the court to pass a suspended prison sentence.
The sentencing guidelines suggest a period of imprisonment of between one and four years, but Miss Soertsz said: "I am going to attempt to persuade the court to take a course that allows this man to retain his liberty."
During the trial prosecutor Mr. Patrick Moran told the jury: "Mr. Gowers was the boy's piano teacher and he was giving the boy a private piano lesson during the school lunch break.
"The defendant is alleged to have touched parts of the boy's body, his penis, his bottom and he touched them for several seconds, long enough for it to be no accident.
"The boy was fully clothed in school uniform and in the middle of playing a piece of music.
"Mr. Gowers said nothing and just kept his hand there and the boy felt very awkward, did not say anything and left after the lesson.
"That evening the boy told his mother, she contacted the school the next morning, and the police were informed.
"The defendant denied having touched the boy in the way described," explained Mr. Moran. "He said he remembered touching his leg, above the knee, but only because he was leaning over.
"He denied touching the boy's penis at all."
The police have prepared the conditions of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order they feel is necessary to impose on Gowers, who has already signed the sex offenders register since admitting having child porn.
Mr. Moran told Judge Lees: "Your honour will have to consider the breach of trust element to these offences."
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