A paedophile teacher due to be extradited to the Netherlands for importing child abuse images has committed suicide.
Keith Hudson, 54, was due to fly to serve five months in a Dutch prison but did not turn up to Heathrow Airport.
Hudson, who ran private tuition company Sussex Learning Centre, had been granted bail on stringent conditions including the payment of a £10,000 security to City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London.
A hearing to order the forfeiture of the money was arranged for today.
But Amelia Nice, for the Dutch authorities, told the court: “He failed to report to Heathrow. It has since been brought to our attention that apparently he has died.
“Apparently he committed suicide.”
Hudson, of Willowmead, Crowborough, has previous convictions in the UK for similar offences, had signed on as a sex offender for four years and been banned from working with boys.
He was found guilty of five counts of moving and concealing indecent material at Croydon Crown Court, following an operation by Dover customs officers in 1998.
A Care Standards Tribunal had heard he was not a risk to girls and limited the court’s earlier ban on teaching all children.
Education bosses at East Sussex County Council issued a warning to all schools in the area after the discovery that he was touting for business.
Then in 2002 he was found guilty of importing and stocking indecent images of boys in the Netherlands between April and December 1999.
However he was not in court for his sentence and a bid for his extradition from this country was later launched.
The disgraced tutor was arrested by Sussex and Met detectives at his home last month.
He lost his fight against his return and a Westminster judge ordered his extradition on December 27 last year.
Hudson was trusted to turn up to Heathrow on January 11 on stringent bail conditions including residence at his home address, daily reporting to police, and to have no contact with any person under 18.
On hearing the report of his death District Judge Quentin Purdy said he required confirmation from a police officer and adjourned the hearing to February 6.
The judge said if he has died the £10,000 would be returned.
September 2002
Porn teacher’s lessons alarm
A convicted sex offender is offering private tuition to young children.
Keith Hudson, found guilty of child abuse images offences in 1998, is advertising classes through his Crowborough-based company Sussex Learning Centre.
Teachers in East Sussex have warned parents to contact them before signing up with external schools and tutors.
Police said Hudson, 49, of Willowmead, Crowborough, is not breaking any law in setting up a private school despite being on the council’s internal restricted list.
They are attempting to close the loophole which allows men like Hudson, who was put on the Sex Offenders’Register for four years following his conviction, to offer their services to children.
Jenni Miller, headteacher of Roselands Infant School in Woodgate Road, Eastbourne, has sent a letter home to parents warning them of the possible threat.
She wrote: “Our attention has been drawn to the fact parents in the Uckfield area have been approached by private tutors offering specialist tuition who are not of an acceptable professional standard and whose motivation for wanting to be a tutor might be dangerous to young people.
“One such organisation about which we have concerns is the Sussex Learning Centre, which has Keith Hudson as principal tutor.
“I have taken the exceptional step of writing to you because I believe the situation is sufficiently serious.”
Hudson was found guilty at Croydon Crown Court on five counts of moving and concealing indecent material following an operation by Dover Customs officers.
Magazines containing indecent photographs of children were discovered in packages sent via the port.
Hudson was also placed on List 99, which gives details of people barred or restricted from the teaching profession due to misconduct or on medical grounds.
Education bosses at East Sussex County Council issued a warning to all schools in the area following the discovery he was touting for business.
A Sussex Police spokesman said: “There is a legal loophole which we are trying to close.
“There is nothing stopping Mr Hudson setting up a private teaching school.
“We’ll refer this to the Association of Chief Police Officers.”
Hudson last night said he saw nothing inappropriate in offering private tuition to young children.
Hudson, 49, who runs the Sussex Learning Centre, said he ran a ‘totally professional’ service which was approved by the police and the Government.
And he denied touting for business by circulating leaflets.
He added: “People’s fears are completely groundless. I don’t know what these fears are about.
“My service, in all respects, is extremely professional. It is checked by the police and they have no objection to it continuing.
“It is also checked by specialist agencies, including an advisor to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills.
“I’m sure if people were aware of the facts they would not be worried.”
However, education bosses at East Sussex County Council issued a warning to all schools in the area after discovering he was touting for business.
Hudson insisted he had not circulated leaflets offering one-to-one tuition to children as young as four.
He said: “This information is several years out of date. Most of my clients come through personal recommendations from one parent to another.”
Hudson said the teaching staff at the learning centre consisted of “mostly myself”.
He said he some tutor sessions were held at the learning centre, some at his home.
“They are held wherever parents want them to be held. “
Asked if he informed parents about being on the Sex Offenders Register, he said: “I have been told there is no need to tell parents.”
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