A former deputy headteacher who used to work at Prince George’s old school has been convicted of child sexual abuse offences. Thirty-five-year-old Matthew Smith has admitted to paying £65,000 to teenagers to abuse young children and then send him the material.

Smith worked at the prestigious Thomas’s prep school in Battersea High Street, southwest London until the allegations emerged around seven months ago.

Before taking up the job at the school he was employed at a British school in Nepal, where he worked from 2017 to July 2022.

Last November investigators discovered that he was using Telegram, an encrypted messaging service, to discuss receiving and sending indecent images of children.

And police said that he was even online at the time he was arrested and was speaking to a teenager who lived in India and was asking him to send sexual images of a younger child, in return for money.

During the majority of the offending period, Smith was living and working as a teacher in Nepal.

There has been no evidence found of offending by Smith against children based in the UK.

After Smith was arrested officers found more than 120,000 indecent images of children aged from three months to 13-year-olds on his laptop, iPhone and an SD card.

Online chats revealed that he had been requesting indecent images of children, in exchange for money. Children under the age of 13 were abused and videoed/photographed as a result of his requests, and the indecent images were then sent to Smith. 

Following his arrest, Smith pleaded guilty to five charges relating to child sexual abuse on November 9 last year.

However, the Crown Prosecution Service authorised 17 additional charges against Smith last month, which he pleaded guilty to and was also sentenced for at Southwark Crown Court today.

The additional charges all related to child sexual abuse, including causing the sexual exploitation and abuse of a child, encouraging the rape of a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, arranging the sexual abuse of a child, distributing indecent images of children (IIOC) and making IIOC.

The charges relate to offences which took place between June 2016 and November 2022.

Claire Brinton, specialist prosecutor in the CPS’ Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, said: “Matthew Smith’s crimes are particularly disturbing given his role as a primary school teacher entrusted with the responsibility of caring for and safeguarding children.

“Thousands of images and videos were recovered from his devices which showed an appalling catalogue of sexual abuse being perpetrated on children.

“Smith offered individuals payments for indecent images to gratify his own sexual desires, which resulted in the horrifying abuse of young children in India.

“This conviction sends a clear message that the CPS, working alongside the NCA and international partners, will work to bring to justice to those who sexually abuse and exploit children, wherever that abuse takes place.

“Our Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit was set up last year to prosecute child sexual abuse. Through the work of this unit, we are determined to help stop the devastating impact of these crimes on victims.”

A spokesperson for Thomas’s said: “We have been shocked and appalled beyond measure by this matter and are grateful for the work of the police and courts in bringing this man to account.

“Mr Smith’s employment at the school, which commenced in September 2022, was terminated with immediate effect when the school first learned of the charges against him in November.

“While the National Crime Agency has confirmed that none of the matters under investigation related to the school or its pupils, these deplorable actions constitute an unforgivable breach of trust and our thoughts are with those who have been impacted or damaged by them.

“As always, we remain absolutely committed to the ongoing safety and wellbeing of our pupils and our whole school community.”

Smith will be sentenced at the same court next month.

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