RETIRED teacher Peter Hamilton-Leggett was led away from court by detectives yesterday moments after facing 32 child sex charges against boys as young as 10.

A former science teacher at The Old Ride Preparatory School in Bradford on Avon, 58-year-old Hamilton-Leggett was re-arrested by detectives, who want to quiz him about more allegations of sexual abuse against former pupils of two private boarding schools.

More charges could be added to the 32 existing allegations today (Friday).

Hamilton-Leggett arrived at Trowbridge Magistrates' Court with his wife yesterday to face 32 sex abuse charges against boys aged between ten and 13-years-old; including four counts of serious sexual assault, nine counts of gross indecency, 17 counts of indecent assault, one count of an attempted serious sexual assault and one count of assault with intent to commit a serious sexual assault.

All charges date from the mid 1970s to mid 1980s and relate to nine former pupils at two all-boys' private schools where Hamilton-Leggett worked seven attended The Old Ride School, in Bath Road and two were pupils at The Lambrook School in Bracknell, Berkshire. Detectives opened a massive paedophilia investigation in July when a 40-year-old man went into a London police station and alleged he was sexually abused at The Old Ride School by Hamilton-Leggett in the early 1970s.

CID officers in Trowbridge took over the probe and Hamilton-Leggett was arrested at his home in Old Station Lane, Yelverton, Devon, on September 9 and taken to Plymouth police station. The next day he was transferred to the divisional headquarters at Melksham where he was interviewed and charged with 32 offences.

Case officers are urging all former pupils who attended three boys' schools in the south of England, where Hamilton-Leggett worked, to come forward.

Records of pupils and teachers at The Old Ride School have been lost or destroyed.

Detectives were yesterday quizzing the former physics and biology teacher, who retired last year, on further allegations of child-sex abuse after two more alleged victims came forward.

Yesterday morning, after a brief appearance, Hamilton-Leggett was taken from the court in Market Street into a waiting police squad car and driven to Melksham police station for questioning.

Hamilton-Leggett's wife left the court building with the couple's pet dog and defence solicitor Stephen Clifford. Hamilton-Leggett was a resident teacher for a total of seven years at the Bradford on Avon boarding school.

The Old Ride School closed in 1990 when attendance figures dropped dramatically.

Originally an all-boys' private school, girls were admitted in 1982 before the school took on disadvantaged and problem children in the late 1980s.

The school was based on part of the 17th Century Frankleigh House complex.

The mansion was illegally occupied by five families in the mid 90s but became a legal commune in 1996.

Detectives have today launched an appeal for all former pupils of three all-boys' schools, where Hamilton-Leggett was a teacher, to come forward.

Pupils who attended The Old Ride School between September 1970 and July 1974 or between September 1982 and July 1985, The Lambrook School in Bracknell, Berkshire between September 1975 and July 1979 and The Mount House School in Tavistock, Devon, between September 1985 and July 2001, should contact DS Dave Martin if they have any relevant information to the inquiry on 01225 763101 ext 591.

Hamilton-Leggett was released on conditional bail to return to Trowbridge Magistrates' Court next Thursday at midday.