A former head teacher of an infant school in Essex has been banned from the profession for life after being jailed for possessing indecent images of children. Daniel Chapman, now known as Alexander Martin, admitted 12 offences and was sentenced to 30 months in prison in November 2019.
The 33-year-old, from Chelmsford, was found to have dozens of indecent images and two videos on his phone. He also engaged in online conversations about child sexual fantasies with other men. Judge Patricia Lynch QC described his messages as 'depraved, revolting and broadly sadistic'.
Martin was suspended and later sacked from his role at Hilltop Infant School in Wickford following his arrest in May 2019. A Teaching Regulation Agency panel found his conduct 'very disturbing' and 'fundamentally incompatible with his being an educator'. It noted that his actions had a detrimental impact on the school, its pupils, and the local community.
The panel highlighted that Martin, as head teacher, was a role model in a position of trust and had 'fallen very far short of the standards expected'. His lack of insight, having initially contested aspects of the charges, was deemed to pose a risk of repetition. A decision-maker acting for Education Secretary Gavin Williamson imposed an indefinite prohibition from teaching, with no right to apply for restoration.
