MERSEYSIDE HEADTEACHER 'ADDICTED' TO CHILD ABUSE IMAGES JAILED AGAIN
A former school headmaster with a history of child sex abuse image addiction has been reimprisoned after being caught with indecent images once again.Robert Pearson appeared before Liverpool Crown Court today, where he admitted to three counts of producing indecent images, one count of possessing such images, and breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.
Previously, Pearson served as the head teacher at Campion Catholic High School in Everton and had been jailed twice for similar offences.
In 2003, he received a 69-month prison sentence for producing indecent images and committing indecent assault, which also resulted in a ban from working with children.
After his release in 2006, he was incarcerated again in 2011 for four years for distributing indecent images.
During that trial, it was revealed that he was “addicted” to these images.
Today, he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.
His arrest followed a police raid on his apartment on The Promenade, Southport, on September 26 of last year, conducted under a warrant.
Authorities seized his laptop and computer, which contained 17 images, including seven categorized as the most severe, along with a video.
He had installed an application designed to delete images without leaving a trace.
An examination of his iPhone did not find any indecent images, but it was noted that he had set up a private network and registered his address as the Netherlands.
Pearson admitted to downloading a small number of images and using Skype to discuss child abuse, though he claimed he only observed such discussions.
In further interviews, he confessed to installing Zoom software to engage in conversations with other paedophiles and to exchange images.
He denied possessing any indecent images of children.
Originally from Waterloo, Pearson moved back to North Merseyside from Ireland after being identified as a sex offender.
He was subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order that prohibited him from using certain apps.
Although only 17 images were found on his devices, investigators discovered that he had installed software to erase evidence of his activity.
These findings, along with his equipment and actions, led to his re-arrest and subsequent sentencing.
The court imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and mandated that he be registered as a sex offender for life.
He was ultimately sentenced to three and a half years in prison.
