Felixstowe: Predatory paedophile teacher jailed again

A cutting from The Star in 1996 featuring Michael Costin (Image: Archant)

Predator Michael Costin, who taught in Felixstowe during the 1990s, was originally jailed for two years by Ipswich Crown Court in May 1996 for four indecent assaults on three sea scouts. He was cleared of six other alleged assaults.

How the Star reported Costin's case in 1996 (Image: Archant)

It was alleged that before the 31-year-old’s arrest he had plied youngsters with alcohol.

It has now emerged that after his release from prison Costin, formerly of Graham Road, Felixstowe, went on to live in Abingdon in Oxfordshire. He then moved to Romford, where became chairman of Millwall Rugby Club.

The former geography teacher subsequently carried out sex assaults in Abingdon and Millwall on two teenage boys and a teenage girl.

Costin is currently serving a indeterminate sentence for public protection, during which he must serve a minimum of four years before being eligible to apply for parole.

His latest conviction was at Oxford Crown Court where he faced 22 sex-related charges. He was found guilty of seven counts of sexual activity with a male child under the age of 16 and four counts of sexual activity with a girl under the age of 16. The charges related to his time in Oxfordshire and ranged from July 2007 to 2010.

Costin plied the boy – who was aged 13 when the assaults began - and the youngster’s girlfriend with alcohol and cannabis to maintain sexual relationships with them.

He was arrested after he was repeatedly spotted outside a school in Abingdon.

Costin was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy, who he tried to masturbate in a vehicle outside Millwall Rugby Club, in East London. He had previously been expelled as chairman of the club following his arrest.

Costin was found not guilty of three charges, including one of rape. The remainder will lay on file as the jury could not reach a verdict.

Costin will have to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.

Previously he had been on the register for 10 years following the assaults in Suffolk.

After his 1996 Ipswich Crown Court sentencing it emerged that allegations were first made about Costin in 1993 after parents claimed he had been talking about sex during geography lessons.

However, a school inquiry failed to find he had done anything wrong, and a police investigation did not lead to an arrest.

In February 1994 another complaint was made against Costin by parents alleging he had given their sons drugs. Although there was another police inquiry it was felt there was not enough evidence to prosecute.

Costin was finally arrested in early 1995 after parents talked to a senior drugs’ squad officer who was giving a lecture at the school, and a further investigation began.

Now, a Star investigation has led to the discovery that Costin, 47, was convicted again in Oxford in October 2011.