January 2009

HITHER GREEN: Teacher jailed for child abuse images found on school laptop

A PERVERTED teacher who downloaded child pornography onto his school laptop has been given a 14-month jail term today (January 16).

Joseph Murray, of Crofton Park Road, Honor Oak Park, was associate headteacher at Hither Green Primary School, in Beacon Road, when he downloaded 354 of the sick images and video clips last year.

The 44-year-old worked at the school from January 10 to June 2 last year and returned the laptop when he left.

An IT worker alerted police after trying to reset the computer to its factory settings and noticing someone else had already tried to do this.

Images found by police on the computer included 30 of children having sex with adults. One was classed as the most serious type of indecent image.

Murray, who had worked with children for 18 years, initially denied downloading the material when he was arrested on June 18.

But on June 22 he admitted to police he had searched websites for pre-teen pornography and was turned on by images of children as young as eight dressing provocatively.

At Woolwich Crown Court, Murray’s barrister Gemma Gillet said he had suffered a “spectacular fall from grace”.

The court was told Murray understood the damage he had caused but did not always know the content of the files he was downloading.

Judge Marks Moore told him: “Your career is clearly in ruins but that is of your own making.”

He added: “It is important for society to also mark its disapproval of such offences.”

Although Murray was given a 14-month jail term he had already served 121 days in custody, the equivalent of an eight-month jail term. He will serve half of the remaining six months on licence.

A 10-year sexual offences prevention order was also imposed on Murray, banning him from downloading indecent images or working with children.

Sentencing on Murray had been adjourned on November 14 for psychiatric reports after he tried to kill himself by swallowing sleeping pills and bleach.

He had pleaded guilty to nine counts of possession of indecent images and video of children.