Sick primary school headteacher admits making indecent images of children

Sick primary school headteacher admits making indecent images of children Matthew Hargreaves, 47, was the principal at King's Northway Primary Academy in Wavertree, Liverpool, at the time of the offences A primary school headteacher has admitted making indecent images of children. Matthew Hargreaves, 47, was the principal at King's Northway Primary Academy in Wavertree, Liverpool, at the time of the offences. Last month he was charged with three counts of making indecent images of children relating to offences between April 11, 2021, and May 3, 2026. Hargreaves was remanded into custody and will next appear at Liverpool Crown Court on July 27. He denies one count of taking an indecent image of a child. The school's acting principal, Mark Newton, told parents on Wednesday that Hargreaves' offences did not relate to his employment at the school, the Liverpool Echo reports. A letter from Mr Newton reads: "As soon as we were informed of his arrest several weeks ago by police colleagues, he was immediately suspended from his role as principal as part of robust local authority and Great Schools Trust safeguarding procedures. "As the matter is subject to ongoing police and court proceedings, it would not be appropriate for us to comment further at this time but please rest assured we are helping police with their investigation. [...] "We understand that this news is concerning. Please be assured that the safety and wellbeing of our pupils remain our highest priority. During this time, we are making support available to any members of our school community who may need it." Shane Ierston, chief executive of Great Schools Trust, which runs King's Northway Primary, explained that Hargreaves was suspended from his role as soon as the trust found out about his arrest earlier this year. Mr Ierston said: "Since then, we have been liaising with the relevant authorities. "The offences do not relate to his employment at the school and, as the matter is subject to ongoing court proceedings, it would be inappropriate to make any further comment." While the nature of the charges against Hargreaves, of Deepdale Avenue in Rochdale, has not been specified at this time, the charge of making an indecent image of children can have various ramifications. It is not limited to physically taking a photograph but extends to downloading or saving an image or opening an email attachment. The offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment. A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said that investigations remain ongoing. They said: "We are working with partner agencies to ensure all necessary safeguarding measures are taken. Please note that a live investigation is ongoing and people are reminded to refrain from publishing any information on social media platforms which may impact on the investigation."