Former teacher in court over indecent images of children

Jonathan Craven, 47, from Heckondwike, was today (Tuesday) handed a 12 month sentence suspended for two years.

Leeds Crown Court heard Craven, a maths teacher at Batley Business and Enterprise College at the time of the offences, had nearly 13,000 indecent images on his laptop.

Police also found 1,780 videos and file-sharing software which could have allowed paedophiles to view the material.

A total of 872 movies and 571 images were at level A – the most serious category of offending.

Craven was arrested at his then home in Dewsbury as part of the nationwide Operation Notarise after his IP address was traced.

He later pleaded guilty to 24 charges of possessing indecent images between June 2013 and his arrest.

The court heard that following his arrest he had voluntarily attended a 10 session course run by child protection charity to reduce the risk of re-offending.

Sentencing him, Judge James Spencer QC said: “For some years it seems you’ve had this attraction to images of children.

“Because of the nature of the images and the classification of them, this does deserve a prison sentence, which is 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

“The reason I’m suspending it is because of the constructive and positive steps you’ve taken since your arrest.

“You should be under no illusions that if you are tempted in this way again, and you offend, then you will go to prison.”

Craven was told that he would have to go through a rehabilitation programme and would be subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for 10 years.