Sefton Former Headteacher Jailed for Sexual Assault of Teenage Pupils

A former headteacher from Sefton has been jailed for sexually assaulting three teenage girls at the school he ran.

Mark Bocker, 65, of Gores Lane, Formby, appeared at Burnley Crown Court on Thursday 7th August, where he was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison. He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

The court heard that the assaults took place between 2007 and 2016 at a school in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, where Bocker was headteacher. Following a trial last month, he was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault contrary to the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

This was not Bocker’s first conviction. In March 2022, he admitted possession of indecent images of children. Police found images on one of his phones showing girls as young as eight being abused. Thirteen images were classed as Category A – the most serious – 23 as Category B, and 46 as Category C. For that offence, he received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to complete rehabilitation courses.

Bocker had a long career in education, much of it spent in Merseyside. He was previously head of a pupil referral unit in Knowsley, specialising in behaviour management and safeguarding. Such units cater for pupils excluded from mainstream education and often require additional care and support. His profile in education circles grew, and he appeared on safeguarding and behaviour management podcasts, took part in training events, and served in governance roles.

He also chaired the governing body of a school trust in Sefton and was a member of several educational councils, making his betrayal of trust all the more serious.

Speaking after the sentencing, Investigating Officer Amanda Gallery praised the bravery of the victims:

“First and foremost I would like to praise these girls for having the courage to come forward and report to us what happened to them. I hope the guilty verdicts and sentence give them some sense that justice has been done. I would encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual offending, no matter how long ago, to come and speak to us, confident that we will investigate sensitively and professionally and will aim to put offenders before the courts.”

Bocker will now serve his sentence and will remain subject to lifelong monitoring under the Sex Offenders Register.