February 2015

Former school worker who filmed himself abusing a child jailed

A former school worker who filmed himself sexually abusing a child has been jailed for seven years.

Adam Curnock, 31, was locked up for the shocking sex crimes he committed in theBolton area.

When police raided his home, they found recording equipment and more than 2,800 indecent videos, some of which he filmed secretly himself in a kids’ toilet.

One of the films also showed Curnock sexually assaulting a child.

Police were tipped off about pervert Curnock’s activities back in 2013 and GMP’s Professional Standards Branch are now investigating whether he could have been brought to justice earlier.

Curnock, of Harley Avenue, Harwood, Bolton, admitted sexually assaulting a child, taking, possessing and making indecent images of a child, possessing prohibited images of children, voyeurism and possessing an extreme pornographic image.

He has now been jailed for seven years at Bolton Crown Court and also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and handed an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).

After a tip off in November last year, police raided Curnock’s house and seized numerous electrical devices and computers, which were forensically examined.

Detectives recovered dozens of videos that Curnock had made by hiding recording devices in a toilet, including one of him sexually assaulting a child under 13 while the victim was sitting on his lap.

A further 2,835 videos and images form the internet along with other illegal images were recovered.

Detective Chief Inspector Sara Wallwork, said: “These offences are a gross violation of the children’s privacy and trust.

“His actions were deliberate and calculated and he has rightly been jailed for these terrible crimes. We have worked closely with the local authority and community throughout this investigation, which I know has left many shocked and appalled.”

February 2015

A WELFARE assistant hid a secret camera in a school toilet to film young children, a court heard.

Bolton Crown Court was told how a total of 25 children were identified in 57 separate videos made by Adam Curnock at Harwood Meadows Primary School.

Curnock covertly videoed the children as they went to the toilet, dressed and undressed in the room, and he even used a camera disguised as a pen to film up the skirt of a young girl as she sat on his knee.

Some parents who were sat in the court’s public gallery wept quietly as Colin Buckle, prosecuting, told how, over a 12-month period, 31-year-old Curnock would fix a wireless camera under the sink in the toilet using Blu Tack at the start of his shift, removing it again when he finished work.

He downloaded the resulting videos onto his computer, but the court heard there was no evidence that he had distributed them to anyone else.

When police raided his Harwood home on November 14 last year and took away large amounts of computer hardware, he admitted to officers that they would find indecent images of children.

Mr Buckle said he was granted bail, but two days later, after taking an overdose of pills and alcohol, he revealed to a mental health worker at the Royal Bolton Hospital that, as well as downloading indecent images of children, he had been making videos of young children at the school.

Police initially found five videos of pupils, lasting up to 30 minutes and then a further 52 videos were identified, including one of footage taken up a child’s skirt when the girl sat on Curnock’s lap.

Curnock told police he had no sexual motive for the filming.

Mr Buckle said: “He went onto say it was the secrecy of spying that was gratifying.

“He said he stopped on occasion but curiosity got the better of him and he carried on.”

Mr Buckle added that Curnock, who has no previous convictions, had had a good relationship with the children and their parents.

He added: “It was an appalling breach of trust.”

The court heard that for up to four years Curnock had also been downloading pornographic images and videos of children, unrelated to children at the school.

A total of 1,076 of the most extreme category A images were found on his computer, including videos of children as young as four being raped.

A further 487 category B and 864 category C indecent images of children were also discovered.

In addition there were two obscene videos made using cartoon and computer generated images and an extreme pornographic film of a woman having sex with a horse.

Curnock pleaded guilty to voyeurism, making indecent images of a child, sexual assault of a child, possessing indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images and possessing extreme pornographic images.

Curnock, of Harley Avenue, Harwood, sat in the dock with his head bowed.

Virginia Hayton, defending, said that although filming up the child’s skirt was classed as sexual assault, she was unaware of it and he had not touched her inappropriately.

She added that he is genuinely remorseful about his crimes.

She said: “He knows sorry is not enough and will not satisfy those involved. He does not expect anyone to forgive him.

“He is aware that he has a problem and needs help in reducing any further risk to members of the public and children.”

She added that he expects to be jailed and had asked his family not to come to court.

She said: “He has brought significant shame upon himself and those he holds dear.”

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Timothy Clayson, told the court he needed time to consider the evidence before passing sentence and adjourned the case until today.

November 2014

Primary School welfare assistant who videoed kids admits voyeurism and child abuse images charges

A WELFARE assistant who filmed youngsters at a school in Bolton has admitted voyeurism and five counts of making indecent images of children.

Adam Curnock committed the offences over the last 11 months at Harwood Meadows Community Primary School.

Police raided the 30-year-old’s home in Harley Avenue, Harwood, on Friday.

He was initially arrested on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children — and was bailed until February, 2015.

But after detectives received further information he was arrested on suspicion of voyeurism.

Bosses at the school wrote to and e-mailed parents this week to inform them of an “ongoing safeguarding investigation”.

Curnock, who has been sacked, appeared at Bolton Magistrates Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to five counts of making indecent images of children and one count of voyeurism.

It is understood one of the charges relates to the use of video footage he took on school premises.

The offences took place between January 1 and November 14 this year.

Police have contacted families who they believe may be directly affected by the matter.

The case has also been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission because it is thought that intelligence had been received on Curnock’s actions at an earlier stage.

In the letter sent out to parents, the school said: “We have been informed that the individual has been arrested and charged with a number of offences and after appearing in court, has been remanded in custody.”