A “PREDATORY” former teacher who sexually assaulted one of his pupils more than five decades ago has been jailed.

Hubert Hallman admitted four counts of sexual assault against a student at Stroud School, near Romsey, during the 1960s.

The 82-year-old was jailed for two-and-a-half years at Southampton Crown Court last week.

The court heard how Hallman, who was in his 30s and employed as a French teacher at the time, targeted one boy on a number of occasions – including once at a swimming pool.

Prosecutor Mary Aspinall-Miles said another of the incidents took place inside a caravan at the school, in which Hallman lived during his time as a teacher.

She said that Hallman “abused his position of trust” as a teacher and had taken a role as a Scoutmaster, which gave him “further access to children outside school hours”.

Ms Aspinall-Miles also read out an impact statement on behalf of Hallman’s victim, who was present in court.

The statement said the assaults had caused the victim to “go off the rails” for a number of years, but that he had been “saved” by his supportive wife.

In mitigation, David Young said Hallman had lived a law-abiding life since being jailed in 1972 for separate but similar offences at another school.

He added that Hallman, who recently battled cancer, had co-operated with the police and probation during the investigation and had shown remorse.

He asked Judge Robert Pawson to consider a suspended prison sentence, which Judge Pawson rejected.

He said: “I cannot suspend this.Anything other than an immediate custodial sentence would be wrong. These offences may have taken place in the 1960s, but they still have had a significant impact on the victim.”