Matthew Hargreaves, the 47-year-old headteacher of King's Northway Primary Academy in Wavertree, Liverpool, has pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. The offences occurred between April 2021 and May 2026, while he was running the school.
Court Appearance and Charges
Hargreaves, from Deepdale Avenue in Rochdale, appeared in court last month and admitted the charges. He has been remanded in custody ahead of a sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on July 27. He denies a further count of taking an indecent image of a child, according to the Liverpool Echo.
School Response
King's Northway Primary Academy's acting principal, Mark Newton, informed parents and carers on July 1 that the offences did not relate to Hargreaves' employment at the school. In a letter seen by the Echo, Newton stated: "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." He added that the school is assisting police with their investigation and urged the public not to share information on social media that could impact the case.
Shane Ierston, chief executive of Great Schools Trust, which oversees King's Northway Primary, echoed these sentiments: "As soon as we learned of Matthew Hargreaves's arrest earlier this year, he was suspended from his role at King's Northway Primary Academy. Since then, we have been liaising with the relevant authorities. The offences do not relate to his employment at the school."
Legal Context
The charge of making an indecent image of children is not limited to physically taking a photograph. It extends to downloading, saving, or opening an email attachment containing such images. The offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment. The specific nature of the images involved in Hargreaves' case has not been disclosed.
Police Investigation
A police spokesperson confirmed: "Hargreaves remains in custody awaiting his next court appearance. Our specialist online child abuse investigations team continues to progress extensive and thorough enquiries into this matter. We are working with partner agencies to ensure all necessary safeguarding measures are taken." The spokesperson also reminded the public to refrain from publishing information on social media that could affect the investigation and encouraged victims of sexual violence to come forward.
