April 2012

Sex shame teacher sent to jail

A FORMER Sheffield teacher is starting a jail sentence today for an internet sex offence involving a child.

Peter Avery, the former assistant head of City School in Stradbroke, posed as a young boy on a website to persuade a 13-year-old girl to expose herself to him.

Until last May the 56-year-old worked as an art teacher at Sir Thomas Wharton Community College in Edlington, Doncaster.

He was sentenced to two years in prison by a judge at Wolverhampton Crown Court and placed on the sex offenders’ register for two years, and banned from working with children in the future.

Avery, of Muirfield Avenue, Bessacarr, Doncaster, pleaded guilty to inciting a 13-year-old girl into sexual activity and one count of possessing indecent images of children.

He was arrested at his home address following the incident.

Headteacher at Sir Thomas Wharton Community College, Mary McCorry, said: “Mr Avery no longer teaches at the school after being suspended with immediate effect in May last year and was subsequently dismissed following an investigation.”

A spokesman for Doncaster Education Authority said the incident did not involve any pupils from the school.

Doncaster divisional secretary for the National Union of Teachers, John Coward, stressed procedures were in place to make sure pupils were safe at school.

He said: “The victim was not from the school where he was teaching.”