THE headteacher of a school where a man convicted of possessing indecent images of children volunteered has written to parents defending its safeguarding policies.

As reported in the Daily Echo, Christopher O’Donoghue, of Brabourne Avenue, Ferndown, pleaded guilty at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday, September 18, to six counts of possessing indecent images of children.

He was handed a three-year community order on Thursday, October 1, and has also been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years.

It has since emerged that O’Donoghue, 75, was a volunteer at Ferndown Middle School until two years ago.

O’Donoghue was arrested at his home in Ferndown in December last year after he had purchased DVDs over the internet containing indecent material of children, which were sent to his home address.

Officers seized a memory card from his home holding indecent images of young boys. Two images were classed as category B and 328 images classed as category C. He was charged with the offences in February.

In the wake of the conviction, Gillian Allen, the headteacher at the school, has written to parents and carers.

The letter has also been published on the school’s website.

In a statement to the Echo, Mrs Allen said: "We were shocked and appalled to learn of this case. We have written to our parents. Mr O'Donoghue was a volunteer here until two years ago.

"We have robust safeguarding procedures in place and all volunteers are checked by the disclosure and barring service (DBS) before they are allowed to work with children, but these revealed no concerns about Mr O'Donoghue.

"There are support measures available for any student or member of staff who feels affected by this."

Following the conviction, Detective Constable Paul Chessell, of Dorset Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team, said that O’Donoghue was in possession of the images of child abuse “for his own sexual gratification” and said that police would investigate anyone involved in downloading or producing indecent images of children.

The Paedophile Online Investigation Team can be contacted on 101.

In an emergency always dial 999.