WORCESTER TEACHER SPARED JAIL AFTER ONLINE SEX CRIMES WITH DECOYS
A FORMER teacher from Worcester tried to meet two girls for 'kisses and cuddles' while his wife was away working the night shift as a care worker.James Ndungu of Hillside Close, Worcester, aged 45, who has since resigned from his teaching position, admitted to attempting to engage in sexual communication with two decoy children posing as 14-year-old girls during a sting operation.
Ndungu was spared immediate jail after communicating with these decoys, who were set up by a vigilante group, but his wife and priest stand by him.
He further admitted to arranging to commit a child sexual offence when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court.
The crimes took place between October 5 and October 10 of the previous year, although the school where he taught was not disclosed in court.
Ndungu initially contacted the decoys on an internet chat room with a profile called 'black teacher,' asking about her age and then moving the conversation to WhatsApp, where he described the girl as 'sexy and gorgeous' and sent her a selfie.
He also asked her for more pictures, described her as 'hot,' and inquired if she would like cuddles.
He discussed meeting with her, giving detailed directions to his house including Worcester's train stations, and suggested he could sleep on his sofa while his wife was at work.
The defendant described the chat as 'our secret' and expressed a desire to meet face-to-face, asking if she would like to come to Worcester and later saying he loved her and wanted cuddles.
The court heard Ndungu also expressed a wish that she was a student at his school.
He asked about her breast size and if she was sexually aroused, and requested a meeting during the night because his wife worked nights.
Ndungu also communicated with another decoy, again posing as a 14-year-old girl, expressing similar sexual intentions and asking for a picture of her friend aged 13.
During police interview, Ndungu answered 'no comment' to questions.
His lawyer stated that Ndungu had provided references from his priest and wife, both of whom have forgiven him.
Ndungu, who was born in Kenya, had no previous convictions and had worked as a teacher since 2005.
He was married in 2004, has two children, and was the main breadwinner before his arrest.
His weekly wage was £650, reduced to £250 after he started working on a zero-hours contract in a warehouse.
The court sentenced Ndungu to a 15-month prison term, suspended for two years, and imposed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order banning him from contacting children under 16 or installing encryption software on devices, which must be made available on request.
He is also required to complete 25 days of rehabilitation activities, 200 hours of unpaid work, and must sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.
The judge noted Ndungu's fall from grace and highlighted that there was no actual child victim, hence no harm was caused.
