Deputy head of Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s first primary school jailed for 12 years after paying teen for child abuse in India

A former deputy head of Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s primary primary school has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after he paid a teenager to abuse children in India and sent him footage of the attacks.

Matthew Smith, 35, was appointed Deputy Head of Pastoral Care at Thomas’s Preparatory School in Battersea last September.

He worked in orphanages and non-governmental organizations across India between 2007 and 2014 before taking a teaching job at a school in Nepal.

National Crime Agency investigators found that Smith offered a teenage boy in India £65,398 to abuse children over a five-year period and asked him to send him footage of the attacks.

Smith also had access to dark websites and forums devoted to child sexual abuse.

He moved back to the UK in July 2022 and began working at the South London school, where he was Deputy Headteacher and Head of Pastoral Care before being arrested in November.

Officers found more than 120,000 indecent images of children on his laptop, SD card and phone.

Smith used the encrypted Telegram app to receive and share sexual images and videos of children, Southwark Crown Court heard.

None of the offenses involved children at the prestigious school, which costs more than £20,000 a year.

Smith, from East Dulwich, South East London, admitted 17 charges, including three counts of encouraging the rape of a child under 13, three counting inducing sexual activity on a child under 13 and arranging sexual abuse of a child.

He also admitted to taking indecent images three times – in relation to more than 120,000 photos, including more than 10,000 of the most serious category.

The charges related to alleged sexual abuse of children as young as seven in India over the internet between 2017 and 2022.

Last November, he admitted to causing or instigating sexual abuse of a child under the age of 13, distributing indecent images of children, and making IIOC three times in the AC categories.

Judge Martin Griffith imprisoned Smith for 12 years, telling him, “I consider that there is a significant risk of serious harm to members of the public from the commission of further crimes by you.”

Earlier, Martin Hooper, prosecutor, said: ‘He was a teacher in Nepal (Thomas’s Prep) before that in 2017 until 2022.

‘He started volunteering in 2007 with children between the ages of two and fifteen.

“That has a relevance, since evidence showed that at least one child from that orphanage was exploited.

On November 6, 2022, police executed a search warrant at the defendant’s home in East Dulwich. The suspect was there using a computer.

“They seized a number of electronic devices, especially a black Dell laptop.

The black Dell laptop had a number of tabs open with indecent images of children. Also Telegram, an encrypted messaging application that the police could investigate.”

During police questioning, Smith said, “Obviously I’m addicted, probably in this area. I don’t like the person I am, I would give anything to be normal – anything.’

Mr Hooper added: ‘When asked if there was any relevance to his employment history, in his current job he very emphatically said no, but other schools he was involved with did not answer.

“After the police fully downloaded and obtained the material from this case, they discovered that the defendant was seeking indecent images of children, both still and moving, and the physical exploitation of children.

“He asked for sexual acts with those children, including penetration, in the course of the conversation.

“It included children on children and children on adults. That was recorded and sent to him.’

In one instance, Smith had asked an older brother to perform and film sexual acts on his 10-year-old brother.

“The defendant would send money to make that happen. He wrote: “Tell your brother it’s a gift in exchange for lots of photos and videos”.

“The defendant transferred just under £7,500 to carry out and record those acts.”

Smith also said he would pay children’s school fees in exchange for sexual images and videos.

“In all, the defendant’s black Dell laptop contained a very large number of images.”

This included 11,000 category A images, over 16,000 category B and 93,000 category C images. In addition, more than 2000 banned images were found.

“These were pseudo-images, either cartoon or CGI-like images. One extremely pornographic image involved a 10-year-old boy having oral sex with a dog, a living animal.’

Mr Hooper added: ‘The damage is extreme and it involves penetration. Planning is underway. There is care. Images were kept and there is a commercial element to it.

“We say the intended damage was extreme. There was also planning, care and isolation of the victims.’

Sarah Vine, defending herself, said: ‘He has personally written to every member of his immediate family and friends, explaining to them exactly what happened.

To express that he does not expect a reaction so much as to apologize for the distress this news may have caused them.

“Mr. Smith is willing to accept his transgression and he understands full well that his life will be in prison for the next substantial period.”

A spokesman for the school said: ‘We are extremely shocked and appalled by this case and are grateful for the work of the police and the courts to bring this man to account.

Mr Smith’s employment with the school, which began in September 2022, was terminated with immediate effect when the school first learned of the charges against him in November.

“While the National Crime Agency has confirmed that none of the cases under investigation relate to the school or its students, these regrettable actions represent an unforgivable breach of trust and our thoughts are with those affected or damaged.

“As always, we remain absolutely committed to the continued safety and well-being of our students and our entire school community.”

Helen Dore, Senior Officer of the National Crime Agency, said: ‘Matthew Smith is a prolific offender and master manipulator, who forced young men to abuse children on his behalf.

He constantly looked for opportunities to access children, but was adept at hiding his sexual interest in them. He committed his offense while working as a teacher and head of pastoral care – a deep betrayal of the trust placed in him.

Clearly Smith has absolutely no empathy for his victims and the harm he has caused them. He poses a very real and significant risk to children, but this investigation has resulted in him spending a long time in prison.

“The NCA is committed to operating online and abroad and working with global partners to ensure children are protected and offenders like Smith brought to justice.”

Earlier she said: ‘While committing his transgression, Smith worked at a school in Nepal and then became deputy headmaster and head of pastoral care in the UK, so his transgression is a deep betrayal of the trust placed in him.

“The NCA is committed to operating online and abroad and working with global partners to ensure children are protected and offenders like Smith brought to justice.”

Claire Brinton, specialist prosecutor in the Organized Child Sexual Abuse Unit of the CPS, said: ‘Matthew Smith’s crimes are particularly disturbing given his role as a primary school teacher charged with the responsibility of caring for and protecting children.

Thousands of photos and videos were found on his devices showing a horrific catalog of child sexual abuse.

Smith offered individuals payments for indecent images to satisfy his own sexual desires, resulting in the horrific abuse of young children in India.

“This conviction sends a clear signal that the CPS, together with the NCA and international partners, will work to bring those who sexually abuse and exploit children to justice wherever that abuse takes place.”

Smith was sentenced to 12 years in prison and is also subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. He was also placed on the sex offender registry for life.