A former teacher and archery coach from Swindon has been jailed for nine years after admitting a series of sexual offences against three boys.
Chris Fox, 39, of Pinehurst, appeared before Swindon Crown Court on Thursday, where he was sentenced after pleading guilty to seven charges relating to the abuse of three children.
Judge Jason Taylor imposed a nine-year custodial sentence, of which Fox will serve five years and three months in prison before being released on licence. He will then remain on an extended licence period for a further three years and nine months.
The court also heard that Fox will be subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
During sentencing, Judge Taylor said Fox had “cynically and manipulatively” taken advantage of the children for his own sexual gratification.
Fox had previously worked at a number of schools in Swindon and also ran an archery club, giving him access to young people and their families.
The court heard that he groomed his victims over time, offering gifts and building trust in order to gain access to them. He developed close relationships with both the children and their parents before exploiting that trust.
Following the hearing, Detective Constable Lucy Hartshorn of Wiltshire Police described Fox’s actions as a serious abuse of his position.
She said: “Fox abused his profession and position of trust that is supposed to safeguard and teach a vulnerable cohort of society.
“He took advantage of his access to young children through teaching and his archery club and used it to form close relationships with young males, build trust with their parents, and target his victims.”
Detectives said Fox deliberately identified vulnerabilities in the boys and positioned himself as a trusted figure in their lives during an important stage of their development.
Police said he manipulated the children into believing the sexual experiences he exposed them to were normal, when in reality they amounted to exploitation and abuse.
DC Hartshorn added that Fox’s offending remained hidden for years because of the control he exercised over his victims.
However, she praised the courage shown by the three survivors, who came forward as young men and helped bring the case before the courts.
She said: “By having this control over his victims, he successfully protected himself from becoming exposed for many years; until now, thanks to the bravery of the victims, who now as young men have shown incredible courage to come forward.
“The community owes a lot to these victims for speaking up, because now we can put measures in place to limit his access to young people and prevent him from offending in this way again.”
The case serves as a reminder of the lasting impact that abuse by trusted adults can have on young people and highlights the importance of reporting concerns, no matter how much time has passed.
Support is available for victims and survivors of sexual abuse, and Wiltshire Police encourages anyone with concerns about sexual offences involving children or vulnerable people to come forward and seek help.
