Poole teacher jailed for downloading child pornography (From Bournemouth Echo)

Poole teacher jailed for downloading child pornography

8:23am Monday 11th June 2012 in News By Harriet Marsh

A TEACHER at a top independent school in Poole has been jailed for 20 weeks for downloading hundreds of indecent images of children.

Dad-of-two Brian Saunders, 49, was working at Buckholme Towers School, Ashley Cross, until his wife uncovered 221 indecent photos on his laptop in March.

Saunders, a former head teacher at another school, now admits it was a habit he had been indulging in for 10 years, Bournemouth Crown Court heard.

Saunders’ veneer of respectability included being chairman of the Poole Link Chernobyl Children’s Life Line, organising summer trips for youngsters from Belarus and being a guardian for two Japanese teenage boys.

Prosecutor Robert Pawson told the court how Saunders’ wife found files named ‘Boys in briefs’ and ‘Boy porn’ on his computer and turned him into the police.

Officers counted a total of 135 level 1 images, 60 level 2, three level 3 and 23 level 4 images – with level four being the most serious of these.

Titles included ‘Schoolboys’ sexual abuse’ ‘Boys tied up’ and ‘Nude Japanese boys’.

There were also six level 1 moving images.

Saunders, of New Road, in Northbourne, Bournemouth pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images.

Brian Sharman, mitigating, said his client put his behaviour down to feeling second best growing up.

Mr Sharman said: “This man is not bad.

“This man should not be simply consigned to Dorchester prison for punishment purposes.

“He is utterly remorseful.”

Jailing Saunders, Judge Roger Jarvis said his background working with children made his admissions all the more shocking. With the knowledge you have of the need to have regard for the welfare of children it is in this court’s view deeply surprising that someone like you should engage in this sort of activity,” he said. Judge Jarvis added: “Those who access these kinds of images have a cynical disregard for the young people involved.

“Their lives are ruined and you must know that when you take pause to think.”

Saunders has been disqualified from working with children for life and after leaving prison will go on the sex offenders’ register for seven years.