Jurors have been released in the trial of the Witham Paedophile, Lee Brumby, 63, of Wellands Road, a former headmaster of Mayflower High School in Billericay.
The trial for child sex abuse involving a former school administrator from South Essex has been discontinued mid-way and rescheduled for the following summer.
He is charged with two charges of raping a girl under the age of 13, two counts of engaging in sexual conduct in the presence of a child, and one offence of indecency with a child.
Mr Lee Brumby, who refutes all charges, was on trial at Basildon Crown Court with his former spouse, Elaine, 61, of Kiln Road, Great Wakering.
Elaine Brumby has entered a plea of not guilty to four charges of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, one charge of inducing a minor to participate in sexual activity, and one charge of sexually assaulting an adult male.
The alleged offences all reportedly occurred when the couple lived in Little Wakering, the prosecutor told jurors.
The trial began on November 4, but was halted before it could end.
During the second week of the trial, one of the key barristers suffered a sudden bereavement, which meant he could not continue with the case.
A new trial will now take place on July 21, 2025.
UPDATE 22.09.25
A former headteacher and police officer from Essex, Lee Brumby, the Witham Paedophile, has been sentenced to imprisonment for the recurrent sexual assault and rape of a child, attacks observed by his ex-wife, also a teacher in Essex, who did nothing to prevent them.
Lee Brumby received a 16-year prison sentence for charges that included the rape of a minor.
He was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Friday, September 19, after being convicted in August of five sexual crimes against the same victim.
Lee Brumby, 64, currently residing in Wellands, Witham, exhibited no emotional response during the sentence proceedings.
Lee Brumby was found guilty in August of two counts of child rape, one crime of child indecency, and two counts of engaging in sexual behaviour in the presence of a child.
Defence lawyer Peter Rouch KC made no confessions of guilt or professions of sorrow on behalf of Lee Brumby, asserting that he continued to receive the “full support” of both his family and that of his new wife, regardless of whether he is a paedophile child molester or not.
Seven supporters of the child molester, among them his new wife, occupied the public gallery. It is unclear whether they definitely knew he was a child molester.
His ex-wife, Elaine Cotton, also a teacher in Essex, emerged as a pivotal witness in obtaining his conviction, as she acknowledged her presence during some instances of the horrific sexual abuse.
Despite her confession to law enforcement, Lee Brumby continued to refute all allegations, compelling his traumatised victim—who had initially revealed her assault to acquaintances and a Rape Crisis counsellor—to appear at Southend Crown Court.
The girl reported that Lee Brumby initially assaulted her when she was perhaps five or six years old, compelling her to engage in a game in which she assumed the role of a waitress and was required to comply with his sexual demands.
Prosecutor David Baird stated that the victim was “exceptionally young and susceptible.”
After that first incident, he said, there was “a sustained period of abuse”. Lee Brumby was convicted of offences continuing up until his victim was around the ages of 9 to 11.
The crimes occurred so long ago that the victim was unable to be any more specific.
Lee Brumby suggested the victim was mentally ill – a claim Judge Richard Conley said was not supported by any evidence at all.
He continued denying sexual activity in the presence of a child even after his ex-wife confirmed to police it had happened.
The victim had described the couple having sex in front of her on several occasions.
Elaine Cotton, 62, of Kiln Road, Great Wakering, admitted the victim was telling the truth, but told police her coercive and controlling ex-husband had forced her into it, which is the usual lie from the partner of child molesters.
“It wasn’t my choice,” she said, claiming she was so “mortified” and “disgusted” by what Lee Brumby had made her do that she was left in tears.
“I hated my husband with a passion,” she said. “I didn’t know what to do… I just decided it was easier just to keep quiet
Told in his own police interview of Mrs Cotton’s admissions, Lee Brumby responded: “I dispute that 100%. That makes me sound like a weirdo.”
But the jury didn’t believe him.
The trial heard Lee Brumby was a respected “super-head”, specialising in turning around failing schools.
He quit teaching amid strikes in the late 1980s and became a police officer, but later returned to education “for a better quality of life”.
He worked at Southend High School for Girls and St Clare’s School in Stanford-le-Hope, among others.
At the time of his arrest, he was a headteacher at Billericay’s Mayflower High School.
Lee Brumby presented jurors with glowing character references from fellow educators.
But the jury also heard about his dark side.
Mrs Cotton said he prevented her from socialising and working, repeatedly cheated on her and then suddenly vanished from her life.
Lee Brumby left their home in Little Wakering one morning, saying he had a dentist appointment, and simply never returned. When she checked the wardrobes, his belongings were gone.
Mrs Cotton, who formerly worked at the St Christopher special needs school in Leigh, stood trial alongside Lee Brumby.
The jury acquitted her, even though she had consented to sex in front of the child multiple times, and convicted him after hearing her accounts both to police and live in court.
Judge Conley sentenced Lee Brumby to 16 years in prison and one year on extended licence.
He will not be eligible for parole until 10 years and 8 months into his sentence.
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