Music teacher abused drugged boys

The offences took place at a North Yorkshire school

A music teacher from Scarborough has admitted sexually assaulting 10 boys while they were drugged.

Geoffrey Kitchen, 48, of Scalby Way, Scarborough, pleaded guilty to a range of assaults which included whipping boys, blindfolding them and beating them.

In one case he handcuffed a boy and tied him with a cord to a bed.

York Crown Court heard that he offences took place at a North Yorkshire school, which cannot be named for legal reasons, between 1992 and 2002.

Little emotion

At the time the boys were aged between 11 and 15.

Kitchen denied seven charges of drugging the children with intent to commit offences on them.

Andrew Murray, defending, told the court that the teacher admitted administering the drug amyl nitrate, but claimed it was to heighten the boys' pleasure rather than to coerce them.

'Long sentence'

Judge Paul Hoffman agreed to let the charges lie on file.

Kitchen also denied a further four offences of indecent assault which were ordered to also lie on file.

Judge Hoffman adjourned the case to 14 March for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.

He said: "Come back on that date. You must understand that it is a long sentence before you."

The case was not opened and no mitigation was given on behalf of Kitchen who was remanded in custody.