A FIFTH former teacher is being sought as part of a long-running police investigation into historic sexual and physical abuse on pupils at a private school in Great Finborough.

Detectives have revealed the man, who has not been named, has been accused of sexual assault.

Lisa McGrann, a spokeswoman for Suffolk Constabulary, said: “I can confirm we have received allegations of sexual assault relating to a former teacher at St George’s School, and enquiries are ongoing.”

The development follows the arrest in December of a 59-year-old who taught at St George’s, which closed in the 1980s.

The man who lives in the Ipswich area was questioned in relation to a sexual abuse allegation at the school dating back 30 years. He was arrested at his home.

It is understood one allegation has been made against the suspect, who was released on bail until March 12.

The inquiry, codenamed Operation Racecourse, has been a wide-ranging investigation which has been going on for several years.

Derek Slade, the head of St George’s School in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was jailed for 21 years at Ipswich Crown Court in 2010.

The 63-year-old was convicted more than 50 offences, including a catalogue of sexual and physical abuse relating to 12 boys at the school.

Last year another teacher Alan Brigden was jailed for five years after being convicted of sex assaults at St George’s, when it was based in Norfolk.

He had previously been extradited from Holland where he had been living.

The 67-year-old, who was known as Alan Morton when he taught at the school while it was based at Wicklewood admitted 14 child sex offences when he appeared at Ipswich Crown Court.

At the time of Brigden’s offences in 1977 and 1980 he was teaching at a boys’ boarding school in Sussex, and then at the former St George’s School, in Norfolk.

Another former teacher Alan Williams was found dead at his Stowmarket home after being arrested on abuse allegations.