Chloe Hadjimatheou

Just a few days later, Gareth finds himself alone in a room with one of those men who told Miss Bowen she had to go. It's his weekly counselling session with Mr Tinch. What would you talk about in the sessions with Tinch?

Did you like him back then?

Did you like him back then?

So Gareth walks into that office with his heart pounding because he's sure Mr Tinch is going to ask him about it all. It's their final session of the year and at the end of it, Gareth says, Mr Tinch looks him in the eye and asks, is there anything else you want to tell me? Gareth says no. And that's the end of it. There were so many times responsible adults could have intervened.

So Gareth walks into that office with his heart pounding because he's sure Mr Tinch is going to ask him about it all. It's their final session of the year and at the end of it, Gareth says, Mr Tinch looks him in the eye and asks, is there anything else you want to tell me? Gareth says no. And that's the end of it. There were so many times responsible adults could have intervened.

That day in his office, Mr Tinch had an opportunity. Even if Gareth had denied it, which, by the way, he admits he probably would have, Mr Tinch could have at very least let him know he would be there when he was ready to talk. But he didn't. Years later, Gareth will turn to Mr Tinch, hoping he'll act as a witness. But Des Tinch will say he never even heard a rumour about him and Miss Bowen.

That day in his office, Mr Tinch had an opportunity. Even if Gareth had denied it, which, by the way, he admits he probably would have, Mr Tinch could have at very least let him know he would be there when he was ready to talk. But he didn't. Years later, Gareth will turn to Mr Tinch, hoping he'll act as a witness. But Des Tinch will say he never even heard a rumour about him and Miss Bowen.

What's amazing to me is that that meeting, from what she said to you, sounds like they felt they had incontrovertible evidence.

What's amazing to me is that that meeting, from what she said to you, sounds like they felt they had incontrovertible evidence.

So Gareth and Miss Bowen stopped looking over their shoulders because it's obvious that despite the confrontation by senior staff, no-one's going to do a thing to stop them. No-one's protecting Gareth. Just before the end of term, Gareth gets really bold. He sneaks up the school tower to the science block. It's during break when he knows no one else is there.

So Gareth and Miss Bowen stopped looking over their shoulders because it's obvious that despite the confrontation by senior staff, no-one's going to do a thing to stop them. No-one's protecting Gareth. Just before the end of term, Gareth gets really bold. He sneaks up the school tower to the science block. It's during break when he knows no one else is there.

And he corners Miss Bowen in the chemistry lap and he kisses her. It's the only time he's ever dared be physical with her on school grounds. But at this point, he feels that nothing and no one's going to come between them.

And he corners Miss Bowen in the chemistry lap and he kisses her. It's the only time he's ever dared be physical with her on school grounds. But at this point, he feels that nothing and no one's going to come between them.

This is Chloe, Chloe Hatch. Chloe, hi. It's a bit of a blast from the past, I'll explain, but is this a good time to talk? This is a former Christ College boy who was a couple of years above Gareth at the school. He's someone I used to know fairly well. At one point he was going out with a good friend of mine, but I haven't spoken to him in years, so I'd almost forgotten all about him.

This is Chloe, Chloe Hatch. Chloe, hi. It's a bit of a blast from the past, I'll explain, but is this a good time to talk? This is a former Christ College boy who was a couple of years above Gareth at the school. He's someone I used to know fairly well. At one point he was going out with a good friend of mine, but I haven't spoken to him in years, so I'd almost forgotten all about him.

When I call, he says he's happy for me to use what he says over the phone, as long as I don't use his name or his real voice. And what he does is try to set out for me what he and many other former Christ College boys think about all this.

When I call, he says he's happy for me to use what he says over the phone, as long as I don't use his name or his real voice. And what he does is try to set out for me what he and many other former Christ College boys think about all this.

It's a strange way of putting it, an innocent time, when an adult, a teacher, could have sex with a child and it wasn't thought of as abuse. Honestly, it feels like the reverse to me, like innocence being stolen in a lesserware time. But that's how lots of pupils saw it back then and still see it today. And maybe it goes some way to explaining the attitude of the teachers to all this too.

It's a strange way of putting it, an innocent time, when an adult, a teacher, could have sex with a child and it wasn't thought of as abuse. Honestly, it feels like the reverse to me, like innocence being stolen in a lesserware time. But that's how lots of pupils saw it back then and still see it today. And maybe it goes some way to explaining the attitude of the teachers to all this too.

But a lot can happen in 30 years. Time weighs heavily on guilty consciences. I can't help but wonder whether one of the teachers might be ready to talk.