UK headteacher awaiting sentencing for sex offences found dead
An elderly former headteacher who was awaiting sentencing for a string of historic sex offences against pupils has been found dead in a river.
David Tuohy, 83, of White House Road, Oxford, was last month found guilty of 15 counts of indecent assault after a trial at Norwich Crown Court.
The offences related to five male victims under the age of 13 and took place in the mid-1970s at Eccles Hall School, now known as the New Eccles Hall School in Quidenham, Norfolk.
Today Norfolk Police confirmed he had been found dead. A spokesman added: “His victims have been notified of the latest development.”
Thames Valley Police said officers had been called to the River Thames in Oxford at about 6pm on Tuesday to reports there was someone in the water close to Osney Lock.
“The man was brought out of the river, but he was declared dead at the scene,” the force added. “The death is unexplained but it is not being treated as suspicious at this time.”
Detective Constable Faith Morris, from Norfolk Police, earlier said Tuohy used a position of “absolute trust” to abuse his victims.
“The fact Tuohy pleaded not guilty to all counts meant his victims were forced to relive the traumatic events which occurred all those years ago,” she added.
Opening the case, prosecutor Andrew Shaw told jurors: “You may think from the evidence that he had a particular deviant sexual fascination with the bottoms of very young boys.”
Mr Shaw added: “It was a boarding school which catered for children who had not thrived in mainstream education in areas all over the country – in today’s language we would say they had special educational or behavioural needs.
“They were separated from their families and plunged in to an unfamiliar environment.
“As one of the people charged with the duty of caring for these children, he abused the trust placed in him and used these children for his own sexual gratification.”
