In 2022, the Offender Register reported that a 15-year jail term was imposed on David Gower, a depraved English teacher from the Isle of Wight, for the commission of multiple serious sexual assaults on two children over 22 years ago.
David Gower, of Warwick Street, Ryde, appeared before a magistrate at the Isle of Wight Crown Court today (Wednesday) via videolink from custody.
The then 70-year-old was admitted to five charges of indecent assault on minors under the age of 14 in Ryde between January 1, 2000, and December 30, 2001, at a previous hearing.
Two children were the victims.
On November 3, 2017, Gower also entered a plea of guilty to an additional charge of possessing a prohibited image of a minor in Ryde.
On October 3, 2018, he also acknowledged that he had failed to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offender register and had a knife in a public place.
The victims in this case were eight and twelve years old at the time of the offences when they submitted complaints to the police as adults.
Gower employed questionnaires to establish trust with them and conducted frequent visits to their residence over two years.
He primarily assaulted them while they were in their nightgowns, lying in their beds.
Police discovered indecent images concealed within a stack of periodicals during a search of Gower’s residence.
Gower was incarcerated for 15 years. He was informed that he would be incarcerated for a minimum of ten years before there was a possibility of release.
He was subjected to a restraining order, an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, and was enrolled in the Sex Offenders‘ Register.
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Image: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary
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