Sex convictions head will appeal

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/south_west/8105828.stm

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A primary school head teacher convicted of nine counts of sexually assaulting children in his care is to appeal against his conviction.

David Thorley, 56, from Carmarthen, was convicted last month and is due to be sentenced on 3 July.

One girl described how he intimately touched her during a visit to the toilet when she had broken her collar bone and was taken to hospital.

Swansea Crown Court heard Thorley should expect a custodial sentence.

The head teacher initially faced 19 charges but eight were withdrawn after Judge Michael Burr said they lacked "evidence of quality" and the jury cleared him of two more.

The court heard he had intimately and inappropriately examined another small girl, and that he had inappropriately touched the children of family friends during a swimming trips.

The prosecution said he had an unhealthy interest in young girls and had used his position of trust to assault them.

He was convicted by a majority verdict of 10 to two.

Thorley described the prosecution as a tragedy and said he had taken the little girl to the toilet because he felt she was his responsibility.

He has been supported by his wife Mary, a vicar and ahead of a primary school in Carmarthenshire, and also by staff at his school.

Judge Burr said he was willing to consider a pre-sentence report because it might reveal something about Thorley that he was not aware of.

An appeal is expected to be heard at the High Court later this year.