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Teacher Nigel Leat jailed after filming sexual abuse | Teacher Nigel Leat jailed after filming sexual abuse |
(40 minutes later) | |
A primary school teacher who admitted filming himself sexually abusing girls in his classroom has been jailed indefinitely. | A primary school teacher who admitted filming himself sexually abusing girls in his classroom has been jailed indefinitely. |
Nigel Leat, 51, of Bloomfield Road, Bristol, filmed his abuse of five girls at Hillside First School, Weston-super-Mare, over five years. | Nigel Leat, 51, of Bloomfield Road, Bristol, filmed his abuse of five girls at Hillside First School, Weston-super-Mare, over five years. |
The charges included attempted rape, 22 of sexual assault and eight of sexual assault by penetration. | The charges included attempted rape, 22 of sexual assault and eight of sexual assault by penetration. |
When Leat was arrested he had 30,500 indecent photographs in his possession. | When Leat was arrested he had 30,500 indecent photographs in his possession. |
Judge Neil Ford at Bristol Crown Court told Leat his "treatment of the girls was clever, cunning, insidious and wicked". | Judge Neil Ford at Bristol Crown Court told Leat his "treatment of the girls was clever, cunning, insidious and wicked". |
He said: "You were able to behave in this way because you were a teacher entrusted to look after children. | |
"I believe you represent a risk of serious harm to young girls. You have a strong paedophilic drive." | "I believe you represent a risk of serious harm to young girls. You have a strong paedophilic drive." |
He will only be released when he is no longer considered a threat, danger or risk to the public and especially young girls. | He will only be released when he is no longer considered a threat, danger or risk to the public and especially young girls. |
Leat was given an indeterminate sentence with a term of 24 years. It will be at least eight-and-a-half years before he could be considered for parole. | |
During the hearing, Leat sat with his head bowed looking at the floor. | |
"A little earlier he was smiling at people, recognising them and nodding," said BBC correspondent Jon Kay. | |
'Preyed on children' | |
Det Supt Geoff Wessell, of Avon and Somerset Police, said Leat had abused the children in the "most sick" way. | |
"Nigel Leat is a predatory paedophile of the most sickening order who has preyed on the children on his school. | |
"The abuse of trust, I have never come across anything so extreme as this. I hope the sentence will bring comfort to the school. | |
"Nigel Leat will not be coming into the community again for a considerable length of time and will never again work with children." | |
Mr Wessell said work with the victims and wider community was on-going. | |
On Friday, the court was told how Leat molested the girls as they practised their reading aloud in class. | On Friday, the court was told how Leat molested the girls as they practised their reading aloud in class. |
Police said he used to identify "star pupils" and shower them with gifts before abusing them in one-to-one reading sessions. | Police said he used to identify "star pupils" and shower them with gifts before abusing them in one-to-one reading sessions. |
Leat could be heard in the films referring to the girls as "sweetie pie" and "darling" and asking them how much they loved him. | Leat could be heard in the films referring to the girls as "sweetie pie" and "darling" and asking them how much they loved him. |
The videos, in most of which Leat could be seen, showed girls were abused in the school's staff room and a resource room. | The videos, in most of which Leat could be seen, showed girls were abused in the school's staff room and a resource room. |
Leat, a father-of-two, initially denied all the claims against him, but he confessed after police found the films on his home computer. | Leat, a father-of-two, initially denied all the claims against him, but he confessed after police found the films on his home computer. |
After police arrested him on 13 December last year, they discovered the thousands of indecent photographs and 720 indecent movies in his possession. | After police arrested him on 13 December last year, they discovered the thousands of indecent photographs and 720 indecent movies in his possession. |