AN ART and drama teacher who was rated ’outstanding’ by Ofsted last year was revealed as a sordid pervert who has committed a disturbing variety of disgusting sex offences during the last twenty years.

Thomas Ceri Boothe, 58, who was working at Newent Community School at the time of his arrest, used his excellent teaching reputation as a ’useful cover’ for his offending, Gloucester crown court was told on Tuesday.

Boothe filmed himself performing most of the sex acts - providing police with graphic evidence of his crimes, the court was told.

Prosecutor Simon Burns told the court: "He appears to have led a double life. Being a teacher has been a useful cover for effectively winning the trust of individuals, in particular the young man whom he abused and his family.

"The other side of his personality reveals someone with clearly sordid perversions."

All Boothe’s offending came to light when police were alerted he had been buying illegal sex DVDs from a company in Canada. Toronto police alerted Gloucestershire police and Boothe’s home was raided in February last year. He had 27 DVDs in a box by his TV.

Boothe admitted a total of 20 offences - two of outraging public decency, seven of taking indecent pictures, three of possessing indecent images, four of indecent assault on a man aged 26-28 who did not have mental capacity and four of sexual activity with the same ’mentally disordered person."

Judge Jamie Tabor QC jailed Boothe for a total of ten years and ordered him to sign the sex offender register for the rest of his life. He also made an indefinite sexual harm prevention order against Boothe.

The judge told Boothe: "It is clear from all I have read and heard that you were a highly respected teacher for many years of your pupils and you were considered by Ofsted as an outstanding teacher.”