FOR years Lloyd Dennis was a pillar of the community with a successful career that saw him teach hundreds of children across Hampshire.

He rose through the ranks to join the senior leadership team at one school, before moving on to become a college lecturer.

Yet his colleagues, pupils and their parents were unaware he had a sordid side.

Today his life and career are in tatters after he admitted a string of sexual abuse against two boys – including raping one of the children when the youngster was just seven years old.

Dennis pleaded guilty to 10 sexual offences against the child between September 2013 and November 2014 when he was aged between seven and eight. These included two counts of raping the youngster, four counts of causing or inciting the boy to engage in sexual activity, two sexual assault charges and two counts of sexual activity with the boy.

Dennis’ second victim was indecently assaulted by the former teacher in the late 1990s, Southampton Crown Court heard.

He hung his head in shame as he was told he will be sentenced on November 5 for 20 counts, including possessing indecent images of children and an image of extreme animal pornography.

Judge Nicholas Rowland told him: “Your case will come back on November 5 for sentencing and a pre sentence report is being ordered to consider the question of dangerousness.”

Kerry Maylin, prosecuting, said Dennis’ level of offending was “clearly very serious”.

In relation to the second victim in the late 1990s, Dennis, of Eastleigh, admitted one count of indecent assault and a further count of indecency with a child.

Originally he denied these two charges and was due to stand trial on them, but changed his plea.

Dennis also admitted four counts of making indecent photographs of a child, three counts of possessing indecent images and possessing an extreme pornographic image – namely a person engaging in intercourse with a dog.

Prior to his arrest, he taught at a number of primary schools across Hampshire including Bishop’s Waltham Junior School and Cadland Primary School in Holbury.

The 33-year-old had briefly taught at Bitterne Park and Sinclair primary schools in Southampton.

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

He remained there for 18 months before moving to the Holy Family Catholic Primary School partnership in Southampton in April 2012, where he was part of the senior leadership team.

Dennis then became a lecturer in health, social care and education at the Basingstoke College of Technology.

He was remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing.

Four months ago after Dennis was charged police launched a fresh appeal for potential victims to come forward. Last night they refused to disclose whether anyone had approached them in relation to the investigation.

But a spokeswoman for Hampshire County Council said: “We are aware that Mr Dennis has pleaded guilty to a number of offences and we are satisfied, following conclusion of the police investigation, that the offences were committed outside of school and there are no grounds to indicate that other children were harmed, other than those already identified through the prosecution.”

She added: “At the heart of this are victims and their families whose lives have been devastated and we are doing all that we can to provide the support that they need.”

She said Dennis has not worked in a Hampshire school since May 2014.

A spokeswoman for Southampton City Council refused to comment.