A FORMER Bishop's Waltham teacher has been charged with a catalogue of sex offences against children.

Lloyd Dennis, 32, has been remanded into custody after being charged with 28 offences which include rape and sexual activity with a child.

Dennis taught at a number of schools across Hampshire including Bishop’s Waltham Junior School, Cadland primary in the New Forest and Holy Family Catholic primary partnership in Southampton.

According to police the charges relate to two victims - but the detective in charge of the inquiry urged people to come forward if they had any information that they believed could help the ongoing investigation.

Detective Constable Sarah Fox said: “These charges are in relation to a number of incidents involving two victims. Our investigation into the circumstances surrounding these incidents continues.

“If you have any information which may assist this investigation, please contact police as possible by calling 101.”

Dennis was a Year 5 teacher in Bishop’s Waltham for almost three years before he left in 2010 to take up a post at Cadland primary school.

He remained there for a year and a half before moving to the Holy Family Catholic primary school partnership in April 2012, where he was part of the senior leadership team.

Dennis then took a post in Basingstoke.

A spokesman for Hampshire County Council, as the local education authority for Bishop’s Waltham Junior and Cadland primary, confirmed they had been made aware of the investigation and were working with the police.

A statement read: “Officers in children’s services are doing all that they can to assist Hampshire Constabulary with its investigation. It is not possible for the county council to comment further while criminal proceedings are ongoing.”

The spokesman added that support from the safeguarding teams was also being offered to the schools.

Southampton City Council and the Catholic Dioceses of Portsmouth which have responsibly Holy Family Catholic primary have not yet been able to provide a comment.

Dennis, of Sopwith Road, Eastleigh, will appear before Southampton magistrates to face the charges on April 24.