A former teacher has been jailed for 25 years for a 'serious and serial' campaign of child sexual abuse.

Tyrone Castles, 59, of Dockray, Penrith, was working at Glebe House Boarding School in Hunstanton when he abused at least five vulnerable boys between August 1988 and October 1990.

Father-of-five Castles’ actions were, said His Honour Judge Shaw, 'the most egregious breaches of trust' that the court had ever come across.

The court was told that Castles’ first victims had been groomed while he taught in South Africa in his early 20s.

Castles had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to many charges of buggery, gross indecency and indecent assault on boys under 16.

His solicitor, David Wales, said: “He accepts entirely his responsibility for his offences.

"He recognises and knows that any apology he offers is likely to be ill received.

“Mr Castles is aware of the harm that has been caused to his victims. He is aware of the great damage he has done.

“He’s going to carry that knowledge to his grave.”

Mr Wales said the pre-sentence report made it clear that Castles did not enjoy the happiest of childhoods but his client has not tried not to make that an excuse.

Judge Shaw told Castles that he had caused severe psychological harm to his victims, adding: “It was effectively a campaign of serious and serial sexual abuse committed by you over a two to three-year period when you were working as a teacher at Glebe House Boarding School in Hunstanton.”

After sending Castles down for 24 years plus an additional 12 months on licence, the judge said: “I would like to pay tribute to the police officers who have worked so hard and, in particular, to the victims and their families for the courage and dignity they have shown in bringing this matter to justice.”

Castles is listed on Companies House as a 'hotelier', and having been a director at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Penrith, between June 2015 and February 2019.