STUART NORRIS CAUGHT IN HINCKLEY SCANDAL: SCHOOLGIRLS' SKIRTS FILMING AT LEICESTERSHIRE EXAM SITE

In July 2022, a disturbing incident involving Stuart Norris, a 48-year-old mathematics teacher from Hinckley, Leicestershire, came to light during a court hearing at Leicester Crown Court. Norris, who had been employed as a teacher for over 25 years, was found guilty of engaging in highly inappropriate and illegal activities targeting young girls at a local school in Hinckley.

During a mock GCSE exam held in June 2021, students became suspicious of Norris’s behavior when they noticed him acting strangely while in the examination hall. Several girls, aged 14 and 15, observed that Norris was filming up their skirts, an act that immediately raised alarm among the students. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the students alerted other teachers, who promptly confronted Norris.

When asked to hand over his phone, Norris refused, walking out of the room and deleting incriminating evidence from his device. Despite his denial of any wrongdoing, the school’s staff and subsequent police investigations uncovered disturbing evidence. Leicestershire Police’s digital forensics team retrieved videos recorded during the exam, which clearly showed Norris filming up the skirts of at least two girls. These videos were part of a broader investigation that also revealed images from 2017, depicting a girl in the same school uniform, sitting at her desk with her legs crossed and wearing a short skirt. Although these images were not classified as illegal, they contributed to the case’s severity.

Further examination of Norris’s digital footprint uncovered a secure internet drive containing numerous illegal images, including child sexual abuse material and animated cartoons depicting children in explicit scenarios. This evidence played a crucial role in the case, leading Norris to change his plea earlier this year to admit to two counts of voyeurism involving underage girls, possession of indecent images of children, and the possession of prohibited images.

At the hearing, prosecutor Steven Taylor detailed Norris’s conduct, noting that he had approached five female students during the exam, often while carrying his mobile phone, which was actively recording. Norris’s actions appeared premeditated, as he entered the examination room with the intent to film underage girls without their knowledge. Norris’s behavior was further scrutinized when he was summoned to a meeting with the headteacher and deputy headteacher later that day. During this meeting, he refused to show his phone, claiming it contained a personal photograph of a woman with whom he was having an affair. The police investigation revealed that Norris’s search history included the phrase “can the police seize your phone,” indicating awareness of potential legal consequences.

Representing Norris, solicitor Zaheer Afzal, emphasized that his client had no prior convictions and expressed that Norris was “deeply ashamed” of his actions. However, Judge Keith Raynor condemned Norris’s conduct, stating that the crimes were particularly egregious because they appeared to be premeditated. The judge remarked, “You had gone into that room with your mobile phone and I’m satisfied you had done that because you had decided to take upskirt images of girls taking that mock exam.”

As a result, Norris was sentenced to a 10-month jail term, suspended for two years. Additionally, he was subjected to a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to spend 40 days working with probation officers. He was also mandated to complete 90 days on the Horizon programme for sex offenders. Norris was further ordered to pay court costs of £700 and a victim surcharge of £156. This case highlights the ongoing concerns about safeguarding in schools and the importance of vigilance against such predatory behavior, especially in the context of local institutions in Hinckley and the wider Leicestershire area.