Description
A primary school headteacher has been caught with category A images of child sex abuse and extreme animal porn on his mobile phone.
Ian McDonald, who has since quit as head of Bishop Martin School in Skelmersdale, was given a community punishment and put on the sex offenders register by a Preston Crown Court judge after admitting to downloading seven films that fall into the most serious class of abuse.
The father of one also pleaded guilty to making 14 category B images and three category C images plus possessing 10 extreme porn films involving humans having intercourse with animals.
The hearing was told they had been downloaded from the popular messaging app Kik.
Former colleagues today expressed disgust, shock and anger that someone in such a position of responsibility with children should be involved in such crimes. They also questioned whether he might be guilty of other child sex offences that have not so far emerged.
McDonald, 46, formerly of Skelmersdale and now living in St Helens after the breakdown of his marriage, had appeared at Preston Magistrates Court in June to admit to the offences and was subsequently sentenced at the citys Crown Court last month to a three-year community order, which included completing 30 days of rehabilitation activities and the forfeiture and destruction of his mobile.
He was also made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order and must sign onto the sex offenders register for the same amount of time.
A one-time colleague, who asked not to be identified, said that the first suggestion that anything was amiss at the school came in March last year when McDonald was in work as usual but then suddenly left at an uncharacteristically early hour.
Thereafter all the schools locks were changed to prevent him, as the keyholder, from getting back in.
His school computer was seized, although this was later returned with the message that there was no evidence of its having been used for improper purposes.
McDonald was suspended by the board of governors and in September 2023 it was announced, without explanation, that he was no longer the headteacher of Bishop Martin and any references to him on the school website or literature were expunged.
The school has since become an academy and has a new headteacher.
The ex-colleague said: When it all came to light in June this year everyone was absolutely gobsmacked.
"No-one thought of him as the type of person who would do this the worst possible child abuse images and animal porn. He was very dedicated to his job and prided himself on Christian values which made this all the more shocking and sickening to learn.
"Here was this man in such a position of power over children doing this. Since we found out about it, we cant help asking was it just images? and racking our brains as to whether there were any opportunities for him when he was alone with children. Have we missed something? Will something else come out?
Bishop Martin School, on Birkrig, Skelmersdale, has been contacted for a comment but has so far not responded.