Mark Haslock, 47, from Llandudno, who lost is job at Ysgol y Grango told he must also register as a sex offender for the next 10 years
A teacher who downloaded more than 1,000 indecent images of children has been jailed for eight months.
Mark Haslock, 47, who was head of design and technology at Ysgol y Grango, Rhosllannerchrugog, near Wrexham was ordered to register with the police as a sex offender for the next 10 years, when he was sentenced at Mold Crown Court today.
Haslock, of Victoria Road in Llandudno, was also made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order to curb his future activities.
Judge Peter Heywood told him he had suffered a significant fall from grace,and warned him the authorities would prevent him from working with children or vulnerable adults in the future.
'This is a significant fall from grace'
At an earlier trial at Caernarfon a jury convicted him of making and possessing indecent images of children, and taking an indecent image between June 2014 and August 2015.
He was cleared of a charge of voyeurism.
Haslock was arrested after police found more than 1,200 images on two computers seized at his home in August last year.
More than 280 were of the most graphic category.
Judge Heywood, speaking via a live link from Swansea Crown Court, said that Haslock was a man of good character who gave up a career in engineering to become a teacher after studying at Bangor University.
His professor there spoke of him in the highest terms and the judge said that he had read a reference from a former student who clearly regarded Haslock as a role model.
'He had been held in the highest regard'
“You are a gifted and dedicated teacher of the highest quality,” the judge said.
He had taught at Woodchurch High School on The Wirral and then became head of department at Ysgol Grango, Rhos.
But the judge said that there was “a darker and different side to his character” that emerged during the trial.
Police had recovered 289 images of the most serious category A, 297 category B and 624 category C, involving children as young as four.
Haslock had used search terms which could only have been directed at finding such material and the judge described some of his explanations as farcical.
The judge added: “You are still in denial about these matters and don’t accept that you deliberately searched for such materia. It gives me no pleasure to sentence you.
"This is a significant fall from grace. You are a talented teacher, a devoted husband and family man highly regarded by friends and professionals alike."
'You are still in denial about these matters'
The court heard that the defendant’s wife was also a teacher – but the judge said that the teaching profession would no longer be available to him.
“I take the view that I would be failing in my public duty if I did anything other than impose an immediate custodial sentence,” he told the defendant.
Defending barrister David Toal asked the court to impose a suspended prison sentence.
He had already been punished significantly as had his innocent family.
The defendant had lost his employment which had been extremely important to him.
“His was a dedicated and professional teacher held in the highest regard,” said Mr Toal.
There had been significant publicity which was also a punishment to him.
His health had suffered and he had sought the professional help of a therapist.
Any custodial sentence would be relatively short but would have "a massive impact" on the defendant and his family, he said.
Speaking after the case a spokesman for NSPCC Cymru said: “It is deeply worrying and concerning that a teacher has been found with indecent images of children. It is right that Haslock has faced justice and that measures have been taken to prevent him from working with children in the future.
“It must not be forgotten that behind every indecent image of a child is a victim who will need to be given help and support to overcome what has happened to them. By accessing these images Haslock has only helped fuel this disgusting crime which destroys children's lives.”
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wrexham-teacher-jailed-downloading-child-12404294
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