A SEX abuse scandal at Dr Challoner's Grammar School in the 1980s has led to its former headteacher being asked to step down from council duties overseeing education while an inquiry is carried out.

John Loarridge OBE, 73, was asked to stand down from education posts with Buckinghamshire County Council after ex-teacher Richard Small, 57, was jailed for four years for indecently assaulting teenage boys.

The move comes after county leader Cllr David Shakespeare launched an investigation into what the school did to prevent abuse at the school in Chesham Road, Amersham in the 1980s.

Mr Loarridge told the Free Press he would cooperate with the investigation. He added he had no regrets about how he handled a complaint of abuse against Small in 1987, which he did not take to the police.

Small was sentenced on Friday at Reading Crown Court for three counts of indecent assault against pupil Edward Short, now 36, and two more counts involving two other boys over 16.

Cllr David Shakespeare said the council was appalled by the abuse and offered his sympathies to the victims.

He said: "The council wants to be sure that everything that could have been done at the time was done to prevent any further abuse."

The council said its policy on sexual abuse allegations, in force at the time, may not have been followed closely.

Responding to news of the inquiry, Mr Loarridge said: "I am happy to cooperate with the investigation and talk to anybody about it. I did follow guidance."

Although he did not go to the police Mr Loarridge said he took steps to stop Small working with children.

In 1992 when Mr Loarridge retired he said he wrote a letter to the county's deputy chief education officer informing the county that should Small apply for teaching jobs, the employer should be referred to a reference held at the school.

The reference, said Mr Loarridge, warned against Small because "there were strong unresolved rumours about his behaviour with boys".

Responding to this claim the county council accepted its actions would also come under investigation and made public.

Sue Imbriano, strategic director for schools, added: "Until then, I do not feel it would be appropriate to comment further on detailed aspects of this case."

The court heard a complaint by a boy about Small came to Mr Loarridge's attention in 1987. Prosecutor Neil Moore said Mr Loarridge told the boy he had two options. Mr Loarridge said the boy could go through the courts and "have his name in lights" or the head would speak to Small, said Mr Moore.

The boy chose the latter option and Small was asked to leave in the middle of the 1987 summer term by Mr Loarridge.

Mr Loarridge said he did not recall a conversation with the boy but understood he was unwilling to make an official complaint.

He said: "I took the rumours very seriously but I could not sack him Small unless I had evidence."

Mr Loarridge will be asked to step down from the council's scrutiny committee on lifelong learning and the school organisation committee. Mr Loarridge was headteacher at Dr Challoner's Grammar School from 1972 to 1992.