Gareth Mason trial: Former Leeds schools academy boss to face trial over historic child sex offences

Gareth Mason, 52, is facing five counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16, and one of gross indecency with a girl under 16, all dated between 2001 and 2002.

During his first appearance at Leeds Crown Court today, he entered not guilty pleas to all counts. A trial date was set for March 31, 2025, the first available date due to a backlog at the court. The trial is expected to last for 10 days.

Mason, of of Meynell Road, Colton, is reported to have left his role as chief executive of the Falcon Education Academies Trust In October 2020, and was on secondment from Delta Academies Trust.

Delta, based in Knottingley, has 46 schools under its wing, including 10 primary and secondary schools in the Leeds and Wakefield area. The remainder are based in Hull, Doncaster, Dewsbury, Goole, Harrogate, Maltby, Barnsley, Bradford, Scunthorpe, Grimsby, Brigg, and Worksop. It is understood he no longer works for the trust.

Falcon Education Academies Trust was set up in 2019 as part of a Government-led scheme to take over schools in the north that no other trust wanted. It was announced last month that the trust would close.