MICHAEL MILLER, SCHOOL GOVERNOR IN COLCHESTER, JAILED FOR CHILD ABUSE IN MARCH 2002

In March 2002, Michael Miller, a 41-year-old school governor from Darwin Close, Colchester, was sentenced to six years in prison after being found guilty of child sexual abuse. Miller was convicted of abusing two young children, including using a game of Simon Says as a pretext to sexually abuse a six-year-old girl. He took obscene photographs of the girl by pretending to take pictures, claiming he was only pretending, but police later discovered the images on his camera's hard drive.

Judge Philip Clegg sentenced Miller to six years and ordered him to register as a sex offender for life. The court also confiscated Miller’s digital camera and equipment, and ordered the destruction of the indecent photographs. The judge remarked, “You were trusted entirely by the children’s parents not only because you appear to be very caring but also because you were a school governor.”

Last month, a jury at Basildon Crown Court took just over an hour to convict Miller, a former soldier, on five charges of indecent assault and four counts of taking indecent photographs. Since his conviction, it was reported that Miller has shown no remorse.

Miller was serving as a governor at an Essex primary school at the time of his arrest in September, which was prompted by a complaint from the girl to her grandfather. It was clarified that none of the misconduct occurred on school premises.

Prosecutor Christopher Paxton told the jury, “Michael Miller abused two children by touching them, assaulting them sexually, and by taking photographs that were deliberately and indecently taken.”