JOHN FLECK DURSLEY SCOUT LEADER & TEACHER JAILED OVER SADISTIC CHILD IMAGES
| Red Rose Database
Dursley Child Sexual Abuser
In October 2014, a disturbing case emerged involving John Fleck, a long-standing scout leader and secondary school teacher from Dursley, who was sentenced to 10 months in prison for possessing and creating illegal images of children. The court proceedings revealed that Fleck, aged 53, had accumulated thousands of illicit photographs and videos over a span of 16 years, many depicting children subjected to sadistic forms of corporal punishment.
These materials were stored on two of Fleck’s personal computers and also included a collection of DVDs labeled as 'naturist,' one of which was titled 'A Century of Discipline.' This particular DVD was a compilation of eight hours of scenes involving child punishment, according to the prosecution. The court was told that Fleck’s collection was extensive, with the illegal content being part of his private collection, which he kept at his residence in The Slade, Dursley.
Throughout the trial, it was emphasized that Fleck had a reputable career, having worked as a teacher and served as a scoutmaster for nearly three decades. Importantly, there was no evidence presented to suggest that Fleck had ever physically abused any children in his care. However, his possession of such material was deemed a serious breach of trust and morality.
Judge Jamie Tabor QC addressed Fleck directly during sentencing, highlighting the gravity of his misconduct. The judge pointed out that Fleck’s position as a trusted figure in both educational and scouting environments was a significant aggravating factor. He stated, “You were highly respected for a long time but you had a dark secret which the parents of those children you taught, or who they took to scouts, would have been absolutely appalled about.”
Judge Tabor further condemned Fleck’s actions for undermining public confidence in institutions meant to protect children. He remarked, “Behavior such as this undermines public confidence, both in schools and the Scouts. Every parent will now be asking this: ‘Do we have a Mr Fleck in our school?’ You have brought disgrace on the Scout movement and indeed the teaching profession.”
Following his arrest, Fleck was immediately dismissed from his teaching position at Severn Vale School in Quedgeley and was also removed from his role as leader of the 1st Dursley Scouts. He pleaded guilty to six charges of making indecent photographs of children, which spanned from January 1998 to January 2014, as well as two counts of possessing indecent images on January 29 of this year.
The investigation was initiated after police linked Fleck to the sale of 'naturist' films originating from Canada. During a raid on his home, authorities seized two computers and 29 adult films. Prosecutor Janine Wood explained that 22 of these films contained illegal images, and a computer tower found in Fleck’s loft contained over 4,000 illegal images and videos, most classified as Category C, the least serious level of illegal content. An additional computer in his residence held more than 150 images.
Fleck maintained that he had no intention of harming children and claimed he was not attracted to children he cared for, although he admitted to finding children aged 10 to 14 attractive. The court was told that Fleck had been candid with police and had owned up to his offenses at the earliest opportunity. A pre-sentence report described him as a man who posed a danger to children.
His defense lawyer acknowledged the seriousness of the case but emphasized that Fleck’s actions were not linked to any abuse of children in his care. The lawyer stated, “He has never denied what he has done and he has never denied that what he did was wrong. When he went to school to teach children, he went there solely to teach and nothing else. He never used or abused his position to take indecent images of children or to harm them.”
At the time of his arrest, Richard Johnson, headteacher at Severn Vale School, expressed his shock and disappointment, stating that Fleck was immediately suspended and his employment was terminated. The Scout Association also confirmed that Fleck was suspended from all contact with the organization as soon as police informed them of the investigation, reflecting the severity of the allegations and the breach of trust involved.
These materials were stored on two of Fleck’s personal computers and also included a collection of DVDs labeled as 'naturist,' one of which was titled 'A Century of Discipline.' This particular DVD was a compilation of eight hours of scenes involving child punishment, according to the prosecution. The court was told that Fleck’s collection was extensive, with the illegal content being part of his private collection, which he kept at his residence in The Slade, Dursley.
Throughout the trial, it was emphasized that Fleck had a reputable career, having worked as a teacher and served as a scoutmaster for nearly three decades. Importantly, there was no evidence presented to suggest that Fleck had ever physically abused any children in his care. However, his possession of such material was deemed a serious breach of trust and morality.
Judge Jamie Tabor QC addressed Fleck directly during sentencing, highlighting the gravity of his misconduct. The judge pointed out that Fleck’s position as a trusted figure in both educational and scouting environments was a significant aggravating factor. He stated, “You were highly respected for a long time but you had a dark secret which the parents of those children you taught, or who they took to scouts, would have been absolutely appalled about.”
Judge Tabor further condemned Fleck’s actions for undermining public confidence in institutions meant to protect children. He remarked, “Behavior such as this undermines public confidence, both in schools and the Scouts. Every parent will now be asking this: ‘Do we have a Mr Fleck in our school?’ You have brought disgrace on the Scout movement and indeed the teaching profession.”
Following his arrest, Fleck was immediately dismissed from his teaching position at Severn Vale School in Quedgeley and was also removed from his role as leader of the 1st Dursley Scouts. He pleaded guilty to six charges of making indecent photographs of children, which spanned from January 1998 to January 2014, as well as two counts of possessing indecent images on January 29 of this year.
The investigation was initiated after police linked Fleck to the sale of 'naturist' films originating from Canada. During a raid on his home, authorities seized two computers and 29 adult films. Prosecutor Janine Wood explained that 22 of these films contained illegal images, and a computer tower found in Fleck’s loft contained over 4,000 illegal images and videos, most classified as Category C, the least serious level of illegal content. An additional computer in his residence held more than 150 images.
Fleck maintained that he had no intention of harming children and claimed he was not attracted to children he cared for, although he admitted to finding children aged 10 to 14 attractive. The court was told that Fleck had been candid with police and had owned up to his offenses at the earliest opportunity. A pre-sentence report described him as a man who posed a danger to children.
His defense lawyer acknowledged the seriousness of the case but emphasized that Fleck’s actions were not linked to any abuse of children in his care. The lawyer stated, “He has never denied what he has done and he has never denied that what he did was wrong. When he went to school to teach children, he went there solely to teach and nothing else. He never used or abused his position to take indecent images of children or to harm them.”
At the time of his arrest, Richard Johnson, headteacher at Severn Vale School, expressed his shock and disappointment, stating that Fleck was immediately suspended and his employment was terminated. The Scout Association also confirmed that Fleck was suspended from all contact with the organization as soon as police informed them of the investigation, reflecting the severity of the allegations and the breach of trust involved.