Paedophile music teacher at Redbridge schools jailed for further three years for abusing girls

A former music teacher at two Redbridge schools has been jailed for a further three years today for 47 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual activity with a child.

Michael Crombie was jailed for five years in 2010 after being convicted of charges relating to the systematic abuse of 29 young girls.

Another 30 former pupils came forward in the latest case, which relates to a period when he worked first at Beal Grammar School from 1964 to 1974, and then at Wanstead High School until 1990.

It emerged after he asked another of his victims to provide a character reference during his first trial, the court was told.

At the Wanstead school, he repeatedly used bogus breathing exercises as an excuse to touch girls’ bodies, it was said.

His victims were all girls aged between 11 and 17.

Crombie, who will serve the term after finishing his current sentence, was arrested in prison after the fresh allegations were made, but denied them until barely a fortnight before his trial was due to begin.

Sandy Canavan, prosecuting, said the paedophile “selected his victims with care, groomed them, and made them feel they were responsible for what was happening.”

While at Beal, he began a sexual fling with a 14-year-old girl and manipulated her into performing sex acts on him in the school’s music room cupboard.

Crombie, formerly of Monkhams Avenue, Woodford Green, admitted the charges.