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Tuesday 11 June 2024

Case Update: Harrogate Head Teacher Matthew Shillito Made Subject to Indefinite Prohibition Order

Harrogate head teacher Matthew Shillito has been made subject to an indefinite prohibition order, which effectively bans him from the classroom for life.

Shillito, 44, was convicted of two offences of making indecent images of children following a trial York Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 10th August 2022.

He was sentenced at the same court on Friday, 9th September 2022.

Shillito was made subject to 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.

You can read the circumstances of Shillito's offences in my previous article. In the briefest terms, his electronic devices were found to contain almost 4,000 indecent images of children. A small number of those were category B images, showing children engaged in non-penetrative sexual activity. The vast majority were category C images, showing children in sexualised poses.

None of the images had been intentionally downloaded. Instead they were cached on the memory of the devices, Shillito having visited the offending websites.

It must be stressed that none of the offences related to children enrolled at the schools in which he worked.

Shillito denied intentionally viewing child images, saying he had been looking through holiday snaps and had an interest in naturism.

It must also be stressed, however, that he did not appeal his conviction to the Crown Court.

The Teaching Regulation Agency convened a professional conduct hearing in relation to Shillito's convictions on Thursday, 23rd May 2024.

Shillito did not attend the hearing. He requested it take place completely in private, on the basis that reporting would have a detrimental impact on him, his family and the schools he was formerly employed at.

The conduct panel, I am pleased to say, rejected that application, noting that a "high threshold" was needed for the hearing to proceed in private.

In a written statement to the panel Shillito maintained his innocence, saying: "I do wish to make clear that my position remains exactly the same as it has throughout. That is that I did not search for indecent images of under 18s. The CPS were required to prove that the images existed on one of my devices and they have done so.

"I provided a not guilty plea to all charges. This is because I firmly believe that I am not guilty of this offence."

The conduct panel noted that Shillito's apparent remorse is very limited, with him failing to acknowledge or engage with his own behaviour. That being the case, the panel concluded that there was a risk that he could engage in similar behaviour in the future.

Shillito was made subject to an indefinite prohibition order, which means he cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England.

Read the full conduct panel hearing outcome.

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