Former Shropshire headteacher jailed for child sex offences
A former headteacher from Shropshire has been jailed for 16 months after he admitted groping a teenage boy and taking naked pictures of him.
Robert Haines, from Shifnal, lavished gifts and 'pocket money' on the boy, took him on trips and exchanged thousands of texts using a phone owned by his school.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard how Haines had begun the inappropriate relationship while he was headteacher of a school in north Staffordshire.
Haines, aged 45, of Brimstree Drive, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child under 16, two counts of taking indecent photos of a child, and two counts of making indecent images.
He also admitted inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Jailing him for 16 months yesterday, Judge David Fletcher told him: "Your career in the teaching profession is clearly, categorically, at an end.
"That in itself, for someone who has made a comparatively stellar rise in that profession, is a huge disadvantage and a disadvantage that you will have to live with for the rest of your life."
Haines' crimes came to light following his suspension from his post in March 2012 as headteacher at Thistley Hough High School, Penkhull, in Stoke.
He had been suspended after a number of concerns were raised about his behaviour towards pupils at school.
A joint investigation by Staffordshire Police and Stoke-on-Trent City Council was launched and Haines was subsequently arrested in October 2012.
During the 15-month long detailed investigation numerous lines of inquiry were pursued, which included seizing multiple telephones and computers which Haines had access to. More than 150 indecent images were found.
Haines will serve half his sentence in prison and the rest on licence. He has also been placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.
DC Martin Bailey, investigating officer from the force's Child Protection Unit, said: "Today's sentence is to be welcomed and should serve as a warning to other potential offenders.
"Whatever your position in the community, Staffordshire Police will not tolerate those who commit sexual offences against children, and those who download, possess or distribute indecent images.
"Haines was a headteacher, a person of trust and standing in the local community who was responsible for hundreds of pupils.
"But he abused that trust in the most horrific way. For those who commit such crime there is no place to hide. You will be caught, arrested and put before the court.
"Reports of this nature are treated extremely seriously and will be thoroughly investigated. We will continue to work closely with other agencies to protect the most vulnerable.
"I would encourage anyone with concerns about child abuse to contact us on 101.
"Finally, I would like to place on record my thanks and appreciation to Holly Hartley, the new principal at the school, for her continued support throughout this difficult investigation.
"She, together with the rest of the staff, have helped guide the school through a very traumatic period."
