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Friday 9 September 2022

Case Update: Disgraced North Yorkshire Head Teacher Sentenced for Indecent Images of Children

A disgraced former head teacher has today been sentenced for possessing almost 4,000 indecent images of children.

Matthew Shillito, 43, of Gordon Avenue, Harrogate, was convicted of two offences of making indecent images of children when he appeared at York Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 10th August 2022.

Shillito appeared at the same court for sentencing this morning, Friday, 9th September 2022.

You can read the circumstances of Shillito's offences in our earlier article.

District Judge Adrian Lower handed Shillito an 18-month community order, with 200 hours' unpaid work requirement and up to 24 days' rehabilitation activity requirement.

He was also ordered to pay £600 towards prosecution costs (having been convicted at trial) and £60 surcharge (the rate in force at the time of the offences).

Shillito was also placed on the sex offenders register for a period of 5 years and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for a period of 5 years.

Addressing Shillito, District Judge Lower said: "This kind of behaviour is serious and the law-abiding public would expect me to send a strong message to people like you, that if you are guilty of this behaviour you are going to be punished for it and you can have no complaint about that.

"The very fact that you have been found guilty and the consequences that follow from that is probably more punishment to you than anything else (in terms of sentence) I can propose."

Indeed. Living in the neighborhood he does, Shillito spend the rest of his days subject to curtain twitching, finger pointing and vitriol.

Everyone will know who he is; everyone will know what he is.

His fall from grace is absolute.

Update (11/6/24): Shillito banned from classroom.

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