Robert Kalton Former Organist and Choir Master at St Mary's Church Melton Mowbray and St James's Parish Church, Trowbridge, Wiltshire Jailed for 8 years

Robert Kalton Former Organist and Choir Master at St Mary's Church Melton Mowbray and St James's Parish Church,  Trowbridge, Wiltshire Jailed for 8 years.


A former choirmaster who abused his position to sexually abuse children in his care has been sentenced to eight years in prison.

The non-recent sexual abuse offences took place when 81-year-old Robert Kalton was a choirmaster at a church in Melton Mowbray and Trowbridge in Wiltshire in the 1970s and 80s.

A jury unanimously convicted Kalton of two counts of gross indecency with a boy under the age of 14, two counts of indecent assault on a boy under the age of 16 and five counts of indecent assault on a boy under the age of 14 on Thursday (30 November).

He was sentenced for the offences on Friday (1 December).

The court heard the force received a report four years ago from one of the victims informing us that he had been a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of Kalton when he was 11 and 12 years old.

An investigation commenced which then led officers to identify two other victims who had been abused when attending choir practice with Kalton.

Kalton was residing in Portugal at the time of the reports and with the assistance of the National Crime Agency (NCA) he was brought back to the UK under a European Arrest Warrant.

Detective Constable Steve Winterton from the Signal team said: “These awful crimes took place when the victims were young boys. They have lived with what happened to them for many years and no doubt the crimes committed on them have affected them ever since.

“All the victims have shown immense courage throughout the investigation and legal proceedings and it’s their perseverance which has resulted in the conviction today.”