JULIAN GARSIDE, MUSIC TUTOR FROM MIDDLEWICH, BANNED FOR LIFE AFTER SENDING INAPPROPRIATE IMAGES TO TEENAGER

In February 2007, Julian Garside, a music tutor from Middlewich, was given a lifetime ban from teaching after he sent explicit images of his private parts to a teenage girl. He was also sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for the duration, and ordered to register as a sex offender.

Chester Crown Court heard that Garside, 37 years old, befriended the girl, then 15, by initially talking to her about work. He then obtained her mobile phone number and email address under this pretence. Over several months, he engaged her in sexual banter. Prosecutor John Oates stated, "He then began talking about wholly inappropriate matters in conversation with her. He used to talk to her about swingers, making personal enquiries about her and her boyfriend."

Subsequently, Garside started to send her text and email messages containing indecent and pornographic images of himself and others. The court was told, "She said she'd never asked for any of these images."

The police got involved after a friend of the girl left a note for Garside that read: "Stop this now before we report you and we mean stop, stop everything." Garside, of Appleby Crescent, Mobberley, later claimed that he sent the pictures because he thought they were funny and believed she would find them amusing. However, he admitted recently that he had made a mistake.

Defence lawyer Andrew Jebb said, "He may have said things he now regrets and recognizes he was in a position of trust and did this for personal sexual gratification. He has accepted the seriousness of his actions."

The offences took place between January 2005 and June 2006, leading to Garside's charge in October. Judge Elgan Edwards, Recorder of Chester, sentenced him, stating, "Your conduct was quite disgraceful and disgusting. Anyone who derives something from this filth has something wrong with them."

Garside admitted to abusing his trust and was also prohibited from engaging in online chat rooms with anyone under 18. The court's ruling emphasized the severity of his misconduct and its impact on his promising career.