Teacher jailed for sex attacks
A primary school teacher was jailed for three and a half years today after admitting indecently assaulting 13 children.
Peter Burnett, 27, abused the youngsters, aged between eight and 11, between November 2002 and July 2003.
Prosecutor Ian Fenney told Dorchester Crown Court that Bennett, from Yeovil, Somerset, "had a particular grin on his face" as he assaulted the eight boys and five girls.
Judge John Beashel sentenced Burnett to three and a half years for each count to run concurrently.
Judge Beashel said: "What I continue to find worrying about this case is your continued assertion there was no sexual element in your behaviour.
"Of course there was a sexual element to your behaviour - you pleaded guilty to offences under the Sexual Offences Act.
"Some of these children will be very distressed by what you have done to them and in two cases they actually suffered personality changes at the time."
Burnett, who worked at a Somerset school, was arrested on August 13, 2003.
He pleaded guilty on August 2 to 15 counts of indecent assault on a male aged under 16, and a further five counts of indecent assault on a child aged under 16.
The court heard Burnett had touched the children at a country dance and at a Weymouth hotel.
He was disqualified from working with children and also given a 10-year sexual offence prevention order which stops him taking part in sports activities with children under 16.
