September 2007

Jail term for child abuse images teacher

A teacher from Gresford, near Wrexham has been jailed for six months after being convicted of using his home computer to access child abuse images.

David Mulvey, 51, who taught in Crewe, Cheshire, must also register as a sex offender for seven years and has been banned from ever working with children.

At his trial, Mulvey said he had no idea how 243 images and eight video clips had got onto his home computer.

The judge said Mulvey had downloaded images of children over three months.

Mulvey was also made the subject of a 10-year Sopo – Sexual Offences Prevention Order – similar to an Asbo but aimed at controlling sex offenders.

He was convicted last Friday of possessing the images and making one level four image of a child by downloading it off the internet.

The jury, which sat at Mold Crown Court, also convicted him of a further 11 counts of making indecent images by downloading them by a majority of 10 to two.

Mulvey’s activities were uncovered when North Wales Police, acting on a tip-off from their Italian counterparts, went to his home in December 2006 as he downloaded two images, the trial heard.

Despite using a programme aimed at removing evidence of internet activity, police were able to recover a large number of images from the computer’s hard drive using sophisticated software, the jury was told.

Judge John Rodgers QC, sitting at Mold Crown Court, said that in sentencing Mulvey he had taken into account his attempts to hide the images using the software he had downloaded.

His good character and the fact that the convictions would end his career as a school teacher had also been considered, said the judge.

But a request from the defence to suspend the prison sentence was refused by Judge Rogers.

“Bearing in mind that you contested this case to the bitter end, that would not be appropriate,” he said.

Defending barrister Andrew Jebb said his client’s conviction by the jury had meant he had lost his teaching position at St Thomas More Catholic High School, where he was also head of year eight.

He and his wife had put their home, her car and his motorcycle up for sale in order to combat the financial pressures, he told the court.

He had also lost his good name and he and his family would have to live with the stigma of the case, Mr Jebb added.