A sexual abuse survivor has won a £135,000 settlement after he was molested by his geography teacher in a school cupboard. Richard Gaines abused seven boys during the 1970s, first offering sex education, showing them porn mags, then taking them into a storage cupboard for mutual sex acts or coercing them into performing sex acts while he watched.
The 80-year-old former geography teacher at St Martin’s Preparatory School, in Northwood, Middlesex, was jailed for five years and two months at Swindon Crown Court in 2019 after admitting seven counts of gross indecency with a boy under 14 in relation to six boys. The paedophile received another 18-month suspended sentence in 2024 for crimes against a seventh child.
When Gaines was spared jail last year, MyLondon confronted him outside Isleworth Crown Court to ask if he would apologise to his victims. “You need to understand the circumstances at the time,” Gaines moaned, without explaining what the ‘circumstances’ were. Gaines described the sickening abuse as ‘fun for all’ during an interview with a probation officer before his last sentence.
Speaking after the settlement, the survivor, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: “What happened to me changed everything. I went from being a confident, happy child to someone who felt ashamed, anxious and withdrawn. It affected how I saw myself, how I trusted people, and the choices I made throughout my life.
“For years I tried to push it to the back of my mind, but it was always there. The memories, the guilt, the sense that something had been taken from me. Speaking out wasn’t easy, but it felt necessary. I didn’t want to carry it alone anymore.
“I can’t turn the clock back but I’m thankful that I’ve got justice and what happened to me has been recognised. I know I still face challenges, but I feel I can look to the future rather than the past. By sharing my story I hope I can encourage other abuse survivors to come forward so their voices can be heard.”
Tom Fletcher, an Irwin Mitchell lawyer who supports abuse survivors, said: “My client has shown immense courage in coming forward and pursuing justice, both through the criminal courts and the civil process. The abuse he suffered as a child had a significant impact on his mental health, education and career.
“While nothing can undo the ordeal he went through, we’re pleased to have secured this settlement which means provides some sense of closure and helps him continue to rebuild his life.
“While Gaines’ abuse took place decades ago, this case shows that justice catches up with such perpetrators. We hope this gives confidence to other survivors to report what happened to them. They need not suffer in silence.”
The man said the abuse had a profound and lasting impact on his life. He described how the trauma affected his education, career choices and personal relationships, leading to long-term psychological harm including complex post-traumatic stress disorder and recurrent depressive disorder.
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