Former teacher jailed for child abuse images

A former teacher who took 40 indecent images of a child has been jailed.

Richard Whitaker also downloaded 19 Category A images - the most serious type - as well as 12 Category B and 74 Category C images before he was arrested in July 2024. He was working at a Leeds school until a week before his arrest, West Yorkshire Police said.

The 54-year-old admitted the offences as well as a further charge of distributing images and was sentenced to two years in prison at Leeds Crown Court on 20 May.

Whitaker, of no fixed abode, was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be on the sex offender register for 10 years.

Det Con Andrew Williamson, of Wakefield Child Safeguarding Team, said: "We understand that this sentencing may cause some concern, particularly for parents of pupils at schools where Whitaker taught.

"The majority of Whitaker's offending relates to him downloading images made by others."

He added: "He did admit taking a number of Category C images of a child and that child's family are already fully aware of this investigation."

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