A FORMER Suffolk headmaster was today convicted of a string of sex offences on pupils in his care.

Derek Slade’s offences date back 30 years.

Slade was headteacher at St George’s School in Great Finborough, near Stowmarket, and Wicklewood, near Wymondham, in Norfolk, from the late 1970s until 1983.

The 61-year-old, of Burton-on-Trent, was found guilty of six offences of assault causing actual bodily harm, four offences of indecent assault and three offences of serious sexual assault.

He was found not guilty of buggery and an alternative offences of attempted buggery and also not guilty of one indecent assault.

A jury of ten women and two men convicted Slade after a trial at Ipswich Crown Court, which lasted nearly six weeks. They took three hours and 32 minutes to return their verdict.

Slade previously has admitted 15 offences of indecent assault and four offences of assault causing actual bodily harm.

He was arrested by police in February this year.

After the verdicts were given prosecutor Andrew Thompson said Slade had also previously admitted 17 child porn charges and a further offences off having a false passport.

Slade will be sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court on Monday.