A former Dilworth associate housemaster who was involved in the Auckland school's Scouts group has been sentenced to prison for sexual abuse of students in the 1980s and 1990s

Alister Grant Harlow was sentenced in the Auckland District Court today to three years and eight months' behind bars.

In a letter read aloud by his lawyer, the 62-year-old describes the hearing as a relief of sorts after living for 30 years fearful of the knock on the door.

However, he says he didn't have the courage to confess to anyone and acknowledged he's responsible for hurting and damaging his victims when they were young.

His offending was against at least four boys over the course of nearly a decade.