June 2021

Wickford paedo head teacher banned from teaching for life

A paedophile headteacher jailed for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse images over Whatsapp has been banned from classrooms for life.

Daniel Chapman was the former head of Hilltop Infants School in Wickford, Essex before being jailed for 30 months for a string of child sex offences.

The 38-year-old, who has since changed his name to Alexander Martin, was found to have dozens of indecent images of children when police raided his home in Meadgate Avenue, Chelmsford, including several in category A, the most serious kind showing the rape or torture of very young children

He was jailed in November 2019, but now the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) in a damning 5,500 word judgement has found Chapman was guilty of such serious conduct that he will never be allowed back into the classrooms.

The disciplinary panel said: “Each of these serious offences were very disturbing in nature. The majority of the offences directly involved children.”

November 2019

Wickford headteacher sent child abuse messages on WhatsApp

A headteacher has admitted making dozens of images of child sexual abuse – and possessing two of extreme animal abuse.

Daniel Chapman, 31, the suspended principal of Hilltop Infant School in Wickford, has admitted 12 counts including making indecent images of children, possessing images of extreme pornography and publishing indecent articles on messenger sites.

None involved any children at the school.

Chapman had previously denied nine offences in June this year and was due to stand trial at Chelmsford Crown Court in October.

However he changed his plea at court and admitted a dozen offences.

He remained emotionless in the dock, dressed in a navy suit and speaking only to confirm his name and enter his pleas.

The 12 charges include six for making indecent images of children on August 8 last year and May 20 this year, two of which were category A, the most serious.

There were three charges for publishing obscene articles on the messenger apps Kik and WhatsApp, dating between September last year and May this year.

Chapman also admitted one count of possessing an indecent image of two children aged eight and ten-years-old, discovered on May 20 this year.

Chapman, of Meadgate, Chelmsford, was remanded in custody to be sentenced on November 20.

After his arrest the school sent a letter to parents. It stated: “The safety and wellbeing of pupils is of paramount importance and we take our safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously. There is no suggestion that at any time our pupils were unsafe.”