WAYNE BROOKES FROM WESTON-SUPER-MARE INVOLVED IN CHILD ABUSE LIVE-STREAM CRIME SCANDAL

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Weston-super-Mare, a primary school teacher named Wayne Brookes has been convicted and sentenced for his involvement in heinous online child abuse activities. The 43-year-old educator, who had served as a teacher for a decade, was found to have engaged in the viewing and distribution of illegal child abuse material, including participating in a live-stream of a six-year-old boy being raped.

Brookes, residing on Arundell Road in Weston-super-Mare, pleaded guilty in June to four counts of making indecent images of children. His actions came to light as part of an extensive investigation conducted by the National Crime Agency (NCA), which uncovered a disturbing network of online offenders involved in sharing and viewing child exploitation content. Following his guilty plea, Brookes was sentenced to 20 months in prison on Tuesday, August 1, and has since resigned from his position at Westleigh Infant School in Backwell.

During the court proceedings, Judge Martin Picton addressed Brookes directly, emphasizing the gravity of his offenses. He stated, “You offended in this way when you were working as a teacher, responsible for young children. It would have caused alarm and distress to the community – parents, fellow teachers, and pupils would have been horrified by the revelation that one of their number chooses to offend in this way outside of school life.”

The investigation revealed that Brookes used the online pseudonym “Bear” to access a clandestine chat room where he interacted with other paedophiles. Evidence showed that he had joined dozens of other users in viewing extremely disturbing content, including a live stream of a six-year-old boy being orally raped. Court documents detailed that Brookes was seen watching the footage via webcam, with his upper body exposed, indicating his active participation in the viewing.

Further disturbing details emerged during the trial, revealing that Brookes had also watched the abuse of children aged between eight and ten, and a separate incident involving the oral rape of a six-month-old baby. Authorities found over 100 child abuse videos and images in his possession at the time of his arrest, highlighting the extent of his involvement in this vile activity.

Defense attorney Virginia Cornwall argued that Brookes had not shared any of the illegal material and claimed he was unaware that he was watching live footage of a child being raped. She described her client as remorseful and struggling with stress at work, asserting that he did not commit any offenses within his professional environment. Brookes was seen crying as Cornwall spoke on his behalf, emphasizing his broken state.

Brookes’s case is part of a broader crackdown on online child exploitation. Earlier in July, Darren Williams, a 44-year-old youth worker from Newport, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for encouraging and assisting in the rape of the same six-year-old boy during a live stream in the United States. Williams had sent messages instructing the rapist to “put the sound on” and to “prove it’s live” by “smacking” the victim and making him “say hi.” He also urged others in the chat room to watch the horrific event.

Williams, who worked for children’s charities in Gwent, was arrested in December 2015 and later admitted to seven charges, including encouraging the rape and viewing of child abuse images. Two other men, Philip Crabtree, 35, of Newcastle-Under-Lyme, and Christian Johnson Lueking, 36, of Raynes Park, London, are also due to be sentenced for related offenses at later dates. Crabtree pleaded guilty to 12 charges, while Lueking admitted to encouraging the viewing of indecent images.

The case also involved international elements, with the perpetrator of the live-streamed attack, William Chandler Augusta from Pennsylvania, being apprehended by Canadian authorities and sentenced to up to 30 years in prison earlier this year. His victim was identified by US police, and protective measures were implemented to safeguard the child.

This disturbing series of events underscores the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies across multiple countries to combat online child exploitation and bring offenders to justice. The community of Weston-super-Mare and beyond remains shaken by the revelations of how deeply these crimes have infiltrated online spaces, and authorities continue to work tirelessly to dismantle such networks and protect vulnerable children from harm.