A 68-year-old man who fled the country in attempt to evade justice has been jailed for 14 years after being convicted of child sex offences against pupils at a school in the 1970s.
Mervyn Rush, formerly of Dorking, was previously charged with numerous child sex offences against young boys where he taught as a science teacher between 1972 and 1976.
Today, Rush pleaded guilty to 18 offences having preyed on a total of 10 young boys who were aged between eight years old and 12 years old when the crimes took place.
He was subsequently sentenced to 14 years by Judge Holt at Norwich Crown Court.
Rush fled the country in 2000 after failing to answer Crown Court bail to face the charges in court. He was arrested in France under an European arrest warrant in May 2012. In April this year Rush was extradited and appeared at Norwich Crown Court charged with 24 sex offences and breach of bail offences.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Pete Sayer, from Norfolk Constabulary's Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: "This case has been a lengthy and complex one for us to investigate. I cannot begin to imagine the added pain that the victims and their families have had to endure over the 13 years since Rush absconded from the justice system.
"I hope the verdict passed today provides some level of closure and allows them to continue to recover from these traumatic experiences.
"Rush used a position of absolute trust to abuse small boys and to commit the most serious offences of their kind.
"Through the position he held, it would have been the most basic of expectations to protect these children, instead he chose to do the complete opposite."
Rush left the UK whilst on Crown Court bail and the case was put on hold as he could not face trial after being previously charged with these offences.
He was arrested at the British Embassy in Paris by French Special Branch officers. He had gone to pick up a new passport.
DC Sayer, added: "None of this would have been possible without the courage and patience of Rush's victims. No sentence can make up for the pain of the abuse these victims suffered, but hopefully it will provide at least a foundation for them to begin to move on.
"The Child Abuse Investigation Unit never lost sight of Rush. We closely monitored his whereabouts, and as soon as we were legally able to re-arrest and extradite him we did. Rush attempted to use many legal loopholes and challenges to prevent him being extradited. However, our determination and resolve to secure justice for the victims that he preyed on meant he was always going to have to face the court one day.
"This case once again demonstrates that Norfolk Constabulary is fully committed to investigating any allegation of sexual assault, recent or historic and will provide the highest level of support and care to any victim whilst a thorough investigation is carried out.
"We would also like to thank the school for its full support throughout the police investigation."
