Former teacher and magistrate jailed for nine years for rape
A shamed former magistrate and teacher has been jailed for nine years for raping a woman with learning difficulties.
Santokh Minhas had been a respected deputy headmaster at two schools, and also served as a magistrate as recently as 2010
But today he was behind bars, jailed for nine years for a sex attack on a vulnerable woman. The 67-year-old was cleared by a jury of five charges of rape, but found guilty of the sixth.
Minhas formerly served as a member of Telford's Race Equality Council and was a committee member at Coalport Village Hall.
He was also part of Telford's Multi Cultural Development Service, which provides advice to schools teaching pupils for whom English is a second language.
The attack came to light in June last year when the woman confided in a friend. The police were notified, prosecutor Mr Edward Burgess told Worcester Crown Court, sitting at the Shirehall in Hereford.
The court heard the victim told a friend she had sex 'but did not want to' and feared she may be pregnant. Minhas told the victim that her mother would 'kill her' if she found out.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is more than 40 years younger than her attacker.
Minhas, formerly of Sutton Bank, Coalport, but more recently living in Shifnal, was described as manipulative.
Following his conviction, police officers have urged those who know adults with special needs to come forward if they are concerned they may be victims of abuse.
Dc Pauline Newton, of the adults at risk team at West Mercia Police, said: "Minhas exploited his victim's vulnerability with his manipulative behaviour and as a result she has suffered terribly.
"With that in mind, he was thoroughly deserving of his sentence and I hope this sends a message to those people who are sexually exploiting vulnerable people that we will do everything in our power to bring you to justice and protect those who need protection."
Dc Newton said detectives would encourage anyone who has been, or knows someone who has been raped or sexually assaulted, not to suffer in silence and report it to the police or a support agency so that they can get the help and support available.
The trial lasted more than a week and the jury had been considering their verdict since Thursday.
Minhas had been deputy headmaster at a school in Oswestry and another one in Telford, and had served as a magistrate in Telford.