A predatory teacher repeatedly preyed on a vulnerable pupil during her years at his County Durham school, a court heard.
Retired science teacher Donald Pattison repeatedly sexually touched and assaulted the girl in, “an escalating pattern of abuse”.
Decades after the offences, Pattison has finally been held accountable.
The former pupil reported Pattison to Durham Police, leading to six sexual charges being brought against the now 88-year-old.
But, due to the onset of dementia he was found unfit to stand trial.
At a finding-of-fact hearing in late July, however, a Durham Crown Court jury found that he had “committed the acts” alleged against him.
Pattison, of Princess Court, Spennymoor, returned to court on Friday (September 25) to be sentenced.
Prosecutor Paul Cleasby said the six charges covered multiple incidents of abuse.
The victim joined the hearing by video link from her home.
She delivered her victim personal statement over the link, saying she wanted Pattison to hear how his actions as she grew up had affected her life.
“I chose to come forward to tell people what he subjected me to as a child,” she said.
She said Pattison exploited her and told her no one would believe her if she complained.
He made her feel “worthless”, she said, and she lacked the strength to stop the abuse.
For five years, she said, she endured his unwanted attention while he presented himself as “an upstanding member of society”.
She said: “My only happy memory was leaving to get away from you.
“Your actions took me to a dark place, and I engaged in unhealthy activities."
She said lengthy therapy had helped her come to terms with her childhood experiences.
Her only “crumb of comfort” was achieving her goals after moving to avoid seeing Pattison again.
She told Pattison he was a sex offender who preyed on a young girl, then chose to call her “a liar” instead of admitting his crimes.
She said he continued to deny the offences and claim he was innocent.
“I’m so pleased 12 strangers saw through those lies and saw you as an evil predator who preyed on a young girl,” she said.
Sshe said she believed Pattison would always remember what he had done despite his condition.
Ending her statement, she added: “I would like to thank all the people who believed in me and brought you to justice.”
Mr Cleasby said Pattison’s options were limited to a hospital order, a supervision order or an absolute discharge because he was unfit to plead.
He said an absolute discharge was the only option because the Probation Service could not supervise Pattison and he was already receiving support in the community.
Chris Baker, representing Pattison, said: “I would submit the court’s hands are tied in this case.”
Judge Nathan Adams told Pattison: “You were found by the jury to have subjected her to serious sexual assaults when she was a young child.
“The evidence was clear, as found by the jury.”
He described it as, “an escalating pattern of abuse for four or five years” which seriously affected the victim then and later, prompting her to seek therapy and move away.
But he said: “To her credit, she was able to come forward and tell everyone what took place.
“I appreciate you have significant health conditions.
"A determination was made as dementia had developed over the last two years, meaning you were unable to take part in the trial.
“But the jury said the actions took place.”
The judge agreed with Mr Baker that his "hands were tied" and passed an absolute discharge.
But he said the discharge still meant Pattison has to register as a sex offender for five years.
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He said the jury’s findings and the impact on the victim were clear.
Addressing her, Judge Adams said: “I appreciate this may not be the closure you expected, but I hope it brings some comfort that the jury accepted the facts.
“But because of his age and health conditions, nothing more could be done.”