A TEACHER from Chester has been warned to expect a jail sentence after being convicted of 10 offences of sexually assaulting pupils.

Charles Ellis, who committed the offences while teaching at a primary school in Wirral, was found guilty after a trial during which he denied all the allegations.

Further remanding him on bail to enable a pre-sentence report to be prepared Judge Thomas Teague, QC warned him that he was likely to receive a custodial sentence when he returns on December 19.

60-year-old Ellis, of Oakfield Drive, Upton, Chester, was convicted of sexually assaulting six girls, when they were aged about eight and nine, and cleared of one offence involving one of them.

Charlotte Kenny, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court how Ellis had been employed at the school since 2002 and the offences began in 2008 and spanned eight years.

One of the victims complained to her mum about his behaviour and in 2013 he was spoken to by the police but no prosecution was brought and he was given further training about not touching children inappropriately.

But “motivated by sexual gratification” Ellis carried on “abusing his position of trust” by touching girls inappropriately involving putting his hand on their backs under their clothing, touching bottoms under and over clothing and touching their legs.

After his behaviour was reported by one of the victims the police again became involved and revisited the earlier report. A member of staff had also twice reported feeling uncomfortable about the defendant touching some of the schoolgirls. He was suspended by the school in April 2017.

Miss Kenny told the jury that Ellis, who has no previous convictions, was “a man who appears not to be able to control himself.”