Harry Eastham, 25, was employed as a teacher at Christ Church primary school when he was arrested in December 2020.
No charges were brought against Mr Eastham, despite his admission that he received and forwarded on images of naked girls age around five to six-years-old.
He also admitted that he engaged in sexual conversations about “little girls” and even pretended to be a 10-year-old while describing a sex act to another person.
Last month (August 2023) a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel met to assess Mr Eastham’s case.
Despite his insistence that he had no sexual interest in children, the panel said it did not believe there was any reasonable explanation for his behaviour other than a sexual interest in children.
The following details have been revealed in an outcome report following the TRA panel.
Mr Eastham joined the school in July 2020, initially as an unqualified class teacher and then as a class teacher from September 2020.
He was arrested on December 9, 2020 in relation to conversations he had been having on Twitter and Instagram for a few weeks in April 2020.
On February 22, 2021, he was dismissed from his role at the school.
When interviewed Mr Eastham told police he had used fake Instagram and Twitter accounts where he claimed to be girl to speak with people who then sent him indecent images of children young girls.
The conversations including sexual remarks about “little girls” and when asked if he wanted to see photos Mr Eastham responded “yes”.
Mr Eastham said he soon deleted the images but admitted that he did forward some images on to another person.
The former teacher claimed he never wanted to engage in any sexual acts with children.
Mr Eastham said: “Got on Twitter and Instagram and started talking to people and got involved in that and it was just people talked to me and I don’t know that’s where it started”.
He said he did not know why he continued to talk with people who engaged him in conversations about underage children.
At one point in the conversation he pretended to be a 10-year-old girl performing a sex act.
Mr Eastham added that he “was just lonely” and got talking to the wrong people.
While Mr Eastham was not charged with any crimes, and the TRA panel concluded that he had downloaded, viewed or shared indecent images of children and that he had engaged in inappropriate discussions on social media including conversations about sexual activity with children.
The panel also concluded that the only explanation for his actions is that Mr Eastham has a sexual attraction to children.
The panel said: “Mr Eastham’s actions demonstrated his support for a market that prays on young children exploiting and abusing them to meet the demands of those who perceive children as a source of sexual pleasure, irrespective of the harm caused to those children.
“Given the absence of any evidence of insight or remorse, and that this conduct took place over a sustained period of time, there was no assurance that the conduct would not be repeated.
“Mr Eastham was aware of his safeguarding obligations through his training as a teacher, and yet disregarded these in his personal conduct.”
Mr Eastham was subsequently prohibited from teaching in England indefinitely.
For all the latest Education News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
