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Police alerted two years ago over Essex teacher who had indecent images Police alerted two years ago over Essex teacher who had indecent images
(about 17 hours later)
Police have been accused of a series of failings that left a deputy headmaster free for two years to secretly film pupils undressing using cameras hidden in an Essex school’s changing rooms.Police have been accused of a series of failings that left a deputy headmaster free for two years to secretly film pupils undressing using cameras hidden in an Essex school’s changing rooms.
Scores of indecent images of boys aged nine to 12 were found at the home of Martin Goldberg, 46, a maths teacher at Thorpe Hall school in Southend, who took his own life this month after being visited by detectives.Scores of indecent images of boys aged nine to 12 were found at the home of Martin Goldberg, 46, a maths teacher at Thorpe Hall school in Southend, who took his own life this month after being visited by detectives.
Goldberg used a camera hidden in a bag to record 1,500 videos and images of partially naked boys from the year 2000 onwards, Essex police said.Goldberg used a camera hidden in a bag to record 1,500 videos and images of partially naked boys from the year 2000 onwards, Essex police said.
It emerged that officers only began investigating Goldberg on 9 September, despite receiving intelligence from Canadian police in July 2012 that the teacher had purchased explicit footage of teenage boys over the internet.It emerged that officers only began investigating Goldberg on 9 September, despite receiving intelligence from Canadian police in July 2012 that the teacher had purchased explicit footage of teenage boys over the internet.
As the Independent Police Complaints Commission prepared to launch an investigation into the case, Essex police said it had found 1,500 images of schoolboys in total, including 465 indecent images of boys aged between nine and 12 taken at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre swimming pool and 75 taken in Thorpe Hill school’s male changing rooms. A further 38 images were taken at other locations. The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating why UK authorities failed to act on allegations relating to 2,300 suspected paedophiles including Goldberg and Myles Bradbury, the doctor who pleaded guilty in September to a string of offences against 18 victims, including some as young as eight, at Addenbrooke’s hospital in Cambridge
Essex police said a search of Goldberg’s computers found 1,500 images of schoolboys in total, including 465 indecent images of boys aged between nine and 12 taken at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre swimming pool and 75 taken in Thorpe Hill school’s male changing rooms. A further 38 images were taken at other locations.
Four children have been identified from the pictures and their parents informed, police said, but in the vast majority of images the boys’ faces are obscured or the pictures are of low quality.Four children have been identified from the pictures and their parents informed, police said, but in the vast majority of images the boys’ faces are obscured or the pictures are of low quality.
The images were discovered on computers and cameras during a search of Goldberg’s home in Shoeburyness, south-east Essex. The teacher, who was single and lived alone, was visited by detectives on 9 September, but was not arrested because investigators believed they had insufficient evidence. He was found dead at his home the following day.The images were discovered on computers and cameras during a search of Goldberg’s home in Shoeburyness, south-east Essex. The teacher, who was single and lived alone, was visited by detectives on 9 September, but was not arrested because investigators believed they had insufficient evidence. He was found dead at his home the following day.
Essex police were acting on allegations they received in November 2013 that Goldberg had purchased explicit footage of teenage boys over the internet. At a press conference on Tuesday, Ch Supt Luke Collision repeatedly refused to explain why it had taken the force nine months to act on the information. “That issue is the subject of a referral to the IPCC and as a result I’m unable to comment on that,” he said.Essex police were acting on allegations they received in November 2013 that Goldberg had purchased explicit footage of teenage boys over the internet. At a press conference on Tuesday, Ch Supt Luke Collision repeatedly refused to explain why it had taken the force nine months to act on the information. “That issue is the subject of a referral to the IPCC and as a result I’m unable to comment on that,” he said.
The Essex police and crime commissioner, Nick Alston, expressed grave concerns over the case. “It is important that we understand why it took nine months for the force to act on this information. There may be valid reasons but we deserve an explanation,” he said.The Essex police and crime commissioner, Nick Alston, expressed grave concerns over the case. “It is important that we understand why it took nine months for the force to act on this information. There may be valid reasons but we deserve an explanation,” he said.
Goldberg was one of more than 2,300 suspected paedophiles on a list passed to the UK’s Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre (Ceop) by Toronto police in July 2012. Ceop, which became part of the National Crime Agency when it was founded in October 2013, failed to disseminate the intelligence to local forces until November 2013 – 16 months after receiving it.Goldberg was one of more than 2,300 suspected paedophiles on a list passed to the UK’s Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre (Ceop) by Toronto police in July 2012. Ceop, which became part of the National Crime Agency when it was founded in October 2013, failed to disseminate the intelligence to local forces until November 2013 – 16 months after receiving it.
Thorpe Hall’s headteacher, Andrew Hampton, said everyone at the school felt “surprised, angry and betrayed” but the immediate focus was to support pupils and parents. “The school governors and staff are all very shocked by the news about Mr Goldberg,” Hampton said. “He was a well-regarded teacher who had an exemplary record during his 23 years at the school and there were no indications whatsoever that Mr Goldberg was leading a double life.”Thorpe Hall’s headteacher, Andrew Hampton, said everyone at the school felt “surprised, angry and betrayed” but the immediate focus was to support pupils and parents. “The school governors and staff are all very shocked by the news about Mr Goldberg,” Hampton said. “He was a well-regarded teacher who had an exemplary record during his 23 years at the school and there were no indications whatsoever that Mr Goldberg was leading a double life.”
He added: “An incident such as this is very alarming and no one could have foreseen it. Our safeguarding policies were inspected in March by the independent schools inspectorate and judged to be fully compliant within the ISI’s rigorous framework. There were no recommendations for areas to improve.He added: “An incident such as this is very alarming and no one could have foreseen it. Our safeguarding policies were inspected in March by the independent schools inspectorate and judged to be fully compliant within the ISI’s rigorous framework. There were no recommendations for areas to improve.
“Despite this, we are reinforcing our safeguarding procedures to ensure our provision goes beyond the highest standards expected of all UK schools and are as watertight as it is possible to have them. We will also be providing additional staff training in safeguarding and will continue our close working relationship with the local authority. Our aim now is to move forward, with the safeguarding of our pupils and the quality of their education remaining our very highest priority.”“Despite this, we are reinforcing our safeguarding procedures to ensure our provision goes beyond the highest standards expected of all UK schools and are as watertight as it is possible to have them. We will also be providing additional staff training in safeguarding and will continue our close working relationship with the local authority. Our aim now is to move forward, with the safeguarding of our pupils and the quality of their education remaining our very highest priority.”
Police said there was no suggestion that anyone else was involved in Goldberg’s criminal activity or that he shared the images.Police said there was no suggestion that anyone else was involved in Goldberg’s criminal activity or that he shared the images.