A 71-YEAR-OLD man has been jailed for 19 years for sexually abusing homesick young boarders at a special school for boys more than 20 years ago.

Robert Starr appeared to be a kindly nightwatchman and caretaker at Mounton House School near Chepstow in the 1990s, comforting youngsters with social and emotional behavioural difficulties with drawings and cartoons.

But instead, he was secretly grooming vulnerable boys in order to abuse them.

It is the second time Starr, from Cardiff, has been jailed, after a 12-year sentence in 1998 following the Operation Goldfinch inquiry into historical abuse at children’s homes in South Wales.

Mark Cotter, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “Starr would draw pictures for the boys which they would put up near their beds.

“He had his own room near to where the young boys would sleep. He would comfort the boys who missed home.

“He worked as a caretaker and night watchman and would go around with his torch to check on them.

“He told one victim not to tell anyone about the abuse and that no one would believe him in any event.”

Starr, who had a room near the youngsters’ dormitory, was convicted in January 2020 of abusing nine boys at the Pwllmeyric school and was sentenced earlier this month.

He denied 34 offences of indecent assault, two of gross indecency with a child and one of sexual assault, and was found guilty of 21 counts after a trial.

Ignatius Hughes QC, defending, said Starr had not committed any offences for three decades having already served 12 years.

But Judge Jeremy Jenkins told him he had ‘lured’ his victims into a false sense of security and then abused them “in the most cruel way.”

The defendant, of Ty Fry Road, Rumney, must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Detective Constable Lesley Cheverton of Gwent Police said after the case: “I would like to commend the bravery of the victims who came forward to give evidence against Starr and made this conviction possible.

“Starr continued to deny his guilt, thus forcing the victims to live through the ordeal of a trial.”

“Robert Starr carried out a campaign of abuse against children over a prolonged period of time.

“He abused his position of trust as a night watchman at the school in the most sinister and opportunistic way against his victims whom he should have been keeping safe.”

Mounton School is to close this summer in its 50th year, with the county council saying it is ‘no longer fit for purpose.’