School paedo walks free from court

7:34am Tuesday 9th September 2008

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A school social worker who fantasised about pupils and downloaded child porn walked free from court yesterday.

John Wagstaff, who worked at Northfield School in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, slashed his wrists and took an overdose of Viagra pills before begging police to arrest him.

Oxford Crown Court heard the 56-year-old rang headteacher Mark Blencowe in June and asked him to bring police to his flat at the Knights Road school.

When they arrived, Wagstaff pulled out a box of indecent photographs of boys from under his bed and told them he should not be working with children.

Henry James, prosecuting, said: "More alarming, together with these photos were a number of posters depicting photos of boys who were either at, or had been at, the school with a number of prices for services available from them.

"There was also a very long essay about the boys in his care having sex with each other or him.

"All the boys have been interviewed and there is no indication he ever touched them."

Mr James said 1,083 indecent digital images were found in Wagstaff's possession, most of them categorised at the least serious level one, but five rated as the most serious level five. He also had 432 indecent pictures he had printed out.

Wagstaff, of no fixed address, admitted three charges of possessing, and seven of making, indecent photographs of children.

The court heard Wagstaff started working at the school as a teaching assistant 15 years ago through a rehabilitation scheme for former alcoholics.

He then became a residential social worker.

Alistair Grainger, defending, said: "Fortunately, no children have been hurt as a result of him and no children have been interfered with."

Handing him a 24-week jail sentence, suspended for two years, Judge Terence Maher said: "It was a rather unpleasant, nauseating fantasy world which you inhabited.

"Simply to send you to prison for what would be a short period would be an utter waste of time.

"The purpose of sentencing is not simply to punish. One hopes that it will also rehabilitate."

Judge Maher also ordered Wagstaff to attend a sex offenders' group, sign the sex offenders' register and banned him from owning or using a computer and having contact with children.

Damian Griffiths, Oxfordshire County Council's assistant head of safeguarding, said: "The school, the police and the county council acted swiftly to remove Mr Wagstaff from his post when this situation came to light.

"Mr Wagstaff had been fully CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checked and those checks did not highlight any problems.

"It is difficult to comment on policies and practices from 15 years ago. Stringent policies on recruitment to posts that involve dealing with children are currently in place."

Mother-of-two Amber Williams, of Field Avenue, Blackbird Leys,was angry Wagstaff was not jailed. She said: "You cannot rehabilitate these people. A leopard cannot change its spots. You get more for shoplifting these days."