Choirboys Paedophile Ring Caged For Decades-Old Sex Abuse

Tuffill: 14 Years

A paedophile ring - linked to a notorious church organist and choirmaster - were jailed yesterday for sexually abusing four young boy choristers who were "groomed" with alcohol, pornography and other treats.

The families of the boys were unaware the youngsters, all aged from seven to fourteen years-old, were being preyed upon until decades later when one by one they reported the abuse of the five defendants.

They are: IT company director and former funeral director Phillip Tuffill, 55, of Mill Lane, Merstham, Redhill, who received fourteen years.

Timothy Fuller, 53, of Herd Street, Stoke-on-Trent, who received six years.

Robert Lawty, 55, of Adams Croft, Brookwood, Woking, who received five years in his absence after being rushed to hospital with a suspected overdose when convicted the day before.

Fuller: 6 Years

Ian Coulthart, 62, of Kingswood Flats, Kingswood Street, Brighton, who received three-and-a-half years.

Mark Jales, 51, of The Annex, High Beech Farmhouse, Lower Godney, Wells, who received twelve months.

A sixth defendant, Gerald Heather, 65, of Nolan Close, Swindon was cleared of three counts involving two of the boys.

The boys attended St. Bartholemew's Primary School, Sydenham and sang in the St. Bartholemew's Church choir, which was run by convicted pedophile Tony Brockhurst, a funeral director who killed himself approximately five years ago, aged 80.

Croydon Crown Court Judge Jeremy Gold QC told them: "I don't know if you know or care of the damage you have done, but it's been long-lasting. This was a gross and cynical abuse of power."

Tuffill, who shared a house with Fuller in Gowland Place, Beckenham, was an employee of the same undertakers - H Copeland & Sons - and Jales was one of the drivers.

Tuffill, Heather and Coulthart were all members of the choir.

Lawty: 5 Years

One former choirboy was abused by all of the defendants, the jury were told, having been initially groomed by Brockhurst when aged only eleven years-old.

"He was a lonely little boy looking for warmth and attention and was groomed, including being given alcohol, and abused for three years," explained Miss Rosina Cottage QC.

"Tuffill began to abuse him a year after he joined the choir," she added, informing the jury the defendant had sex with the boy after inviting him to his home where he was given alcohol and treated to a chinese meal.

"The boy thought it was his purpose and the way of his relationships with these men.

"They were men trusted by the parents, they were connected to the church and the choir and there was no question about their integrity.

"They learned how to choose their victims and groom them so they would not say: 'no'."

Fuller was jailed for six months in 1987 of gross indecency with a boy and in 2005 received eighteen months for indecently assaulting a boy aged under fourteen, the jury were told.

"He is a man sexually attracted to children," said Miss Cottage. "He has a history of abusing boys and sexually assaulted the first complainant in this case as well."

Coulthart: 3-amd-a-half years

The jury were told Tuffill asked Fuller: "Why don't you try him out?" and soon afterwards the boy was plied with alcohol by the defendant, who then had sex with him.

"It happened several times over the next few months."

The same boy was introduced at a party to married cook Lawty, a friend of Tuffill's. "He was plied with alcohol, red wine, and Lawty also drank."

The court heard Lawty had sex with the youngster and told him: "Once you're in the ring, we've got you."

Miss Cottage added: "Lawty also asked him if he would have sex with his wife."

Coulthart also had sex with the boy, who complained it "hurt" and recalled one occasion when the defendant and Brockhurst had their way with him at a cottage near Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Jales: 12 Months

"He knew what was going to happen, but did not complain because he was use'd to it by this time. Each man took it in turns with the boy on the carpet in front of the fire."

The second victim, another chorister, claimed he was groomed by Tuffill, saying the defendant showed him pornography from Amsterdam and abused him in his own home when he was just eleven years-old, but the jury did not convict on these counts.

The boy remembers Heather as the driver of a mini-bus when the choristers were taken swimming or ten-pin bowling and as someone who would treat them to a chinese meal.

Churchgoer Jales - described by the boy as a "hanger-on" - had laid out pornography on the bed before undressing the youngster and abusing him. "It was furtive and it was squalid," recalled the complainant.

Heather: Not Guilty

His younger brother fell into the clutches of Tuffill aged just six years-old. "He groomed and abused him," said Miss Cottage.

"Tuffill started touching him before he even joined the choir. He would pull down the child's pyjama bottoms."

The complainant recalls being abused on both days of a trip to Cheddar Gorge when he stayed at a bed and breakfast with Tuffill.

A fourth complainant came forward and reported he had also been abused by Tuffill.

Tuffill was convicted of two sample counts of buggery in relation to the first boy; five counts of indecent assault in relation to the third boy and two counts of indecent assault in relation to the fourth boy.

Fuller and Lawty were each convicted of two counts of buggery in relation to the first victim.

Coulthart was found guilty of one count of buggery in relation to the first victim and Jales of indecently assaulting the second victim.

All the counts span from January 14, 1977 to October 27, 1986.