May 2004

‘Evil’ paedophile teacher jailed

An infant school teacher who was caught with almost 100,000 images of child pornography after a fire, was jailed for seven years today.

Martin Taylor, 39, of Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, was described as a “genuinely evil” paedophile, who was leading a double life.

His stash of indecent photographs was only discovered when police were called to investigate a blaze at his home in Florence Street.

Taylor, who taught at Butlers Hill Infant School in Hucknall, pleaded guilty to numerous offences relating to the possession of child pornography.

A judge at Nottingham Crown Court heard officers investigating a fire on November 20 last year discovered incriminating pictures in his bedroom.

He was arrested and while he was in custody, two computers were seized from his home and searched. A total of 95,227 images were found, including 16 images of the most serious level of child pornography, Tracey Kirwin, prosecuting, told the court.

Ian Way, defending, said: “He is here in disgrace and shame. He was a man leading a double life.”

Judge Dudley Bennett, sentencing, said: “You are an example, in my view, of a genuinely evil paedophile. This case is about as bad as it gets. In your job as a primary school teacher you were in a position where parents imagined they could trust you.”

He was jailed for seven years and disqualified from working with children for life.