Alun Pickford

A teacher has been jailed for raping a teenager on the grounds of Aldenham School in Radlett, Hertfordshire, approximately 30 years ago. Alun Pickford, now 54 and residing in Manor Fields, Bratton village, Westbury, Wiltshire, was convicted at St Albans Crown Court of the rape that occurred in the early 1990s when he was employed as a teacher at the school.

The incident took place at Pickford's one-bedroom flat located within the school estate. At the time, Pickford invited the 18-year-old female, who was not in any relationship with him, to stay overnight. He offered her his bed while claiming he would sleep on the sofa. However, during the night, he entered the bedroom, got into the bed, and raped her. The victim later described to police that she was paralysed with fear, 'shut down', and unable to react or call out during the assault.

Following the rape, the victim confided in a friend but did not report the matter to authorities at the time. A witness observed the victim leaving the direction of Pickford's flat in the early morning, and another witness reported that Pickford had later boasted about the incident. Pickford continued his career as a teacher in the years that followed, entrusted with the safety and wellbeing of young people, which the court noted as an aggravating factor in the sentencing.

In 2020, the woman, now in her 40s, came forward to report the rape, prompting an investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary's non-recent sexual offences investigation team. During police interviews, Pickford denied the incident entirely, claiming the girl had never stayed at his flat and offering no explanation for why witnesses would fabricate their accounts. Despite his not guilty plea, he was found guilty by the jury at St Albans Crown Court.

Detective Constable Sam Hunt of Hertfordshire Constabulary commended the victim's courage, stating: 'She has shown incredible strength and determination to see this investigation through. Pickford’s attack on her when she was barely an adult has stayed with her all her life. I hope his conviction brings her some closure and the opportunity to move on.' The police collaborated with local authority and education partners to ensure the safety of young people following the report. Pickford was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment on July 21, 2024.