Sex offending teaching assistant from South Shields back behind bars after three more victims come forward
A South Shields sex offender locked up in 2017 for targeting young victims at a now-closed school has been put back behind bars after three more bravely spoke out about what he did to them.
A judge has assured victims there is no time limit on reporting their abusers as he jailed a predatory teaching assistant for a second time for historic sex offences on pupils.
Philip Watson, from Beach Road, South Shields, was locked up in 2017 for targeting three young victims at Maplewood School in Sunderland, which has since closed, and was today put back behind bars after three more bravely spoke out about what he did to them.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the sickening offences have continued to affect the victims into adulthood and have had a devastating impact on many aspects of their lives.
Recorder Mark Giuliani assured anyone who is the victim of a sexual offence that they have lifelong anonymity and said there is no time limit for reporting what they have gone through.
The recorder said: "It is important that the school is named so that others who have been abused know that the passage of time is no bar to their abuser facing justice."
Recorder Giuliani urged Watson to confess if there are more victims of his and warned he will "suffer the consequences" if there are.
Watson, 60 , was jailed for six years in 2017 after being convicted of offences against three young victims.
He has been locked up today for seven years after being convicted of four indecent assault charges in relation to three more pupils.
One of those victims had reported what had happened to him at the time, in the 1990s, but he was branded a liar and Watson's abuse was allowed to continue.
That victim said in a recent statement: "The impact of this has stayed with me throughout my life. It is always in the back of my mind."
Another said: "This is not something in my past, it's present in my life every single day."
All three said their adult lives have been majorly impacted by the offences against them and then having to relive the details of it when making statements and during the trial.
Recorder Giuliani asked Watson, who denies all of the offences, if he had targeted any other victims and said: "Now is the time for him to admit if there was any others, as he should have done in 2017 and he should have done in the 1990s.
"Has the defendant finally accepted that these convictions are in the face of overwhelming evidence or is he still maintaining both juries have brought back incorrect verdicts?"
Matthew Bean KC, defending, said Watson, who denied all of the offences, has not changed his stance.
The recorder added: "Should others come forward he will suffer the consequences."
Mr Bean said Watson has health problems and is awaiting test results.
As a result of the 2017 convictions Watson is already on the sex offenders register and has to abide by a sexual harm prevention order for life.