Paedophile teacher who worked in Shropshire banned for life after admitting making indecent images of children

Peter Godfrey was employed as a class teacher from September 2012 at the now closed White House School until the police arrested and interviewed him in May 2020.

Godfrey, 58, has been prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England, the Teaching Regulation Agency has decided.

The Secretary of State for Education in confirming that decision also decided that he will not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.

Panel members Dr Martin Coles, Mrs Bev Williams and Mr Dara Islam were told that Godfrey had admitted the charges against him and had been sentenced.

These included convictions in June 2022 at Staffordshire Magistrates Court on three counts of making indecent images of children.

He was also convicted of having extreme pornography and possessing prohibited images of children.

In October 2022 he was convicted at South Derbyshire Magistrates Court on similar counts and for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The panel also heard that he had been convicted of similar offences in May 2020.

Godfrey was sentenced for three offences to 150 hours of unpaid work, a rehabilitation requirement and a custodial sentence of six months, suspended for two years.

He was issued with a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

But two years later on October 28, 2022, Godfrey was arrested again and interviewed by the police.

He admitted that he had downloaded indecent images of children using a laptop.

On October 29 2022, Godfrey was convicted at the South Derbyshire Magistrates Court.

The panel also noted from the sentencing remarks on March 2, 2023 that shortly after his initial convictions in respect of the first three allegations, Godfrey left the area to go to a seaside town, and used a laptop and a memory stick to download and retain indecent images of children.

They said this demonstrated Godfrey’s tendency to repeat the behaviour and a clear disregard for his initial serious convictions.

“The panel considered that the adverse public interest considerations outweigh any interest in retaining Mr Godfrey in the profession, since his behaviour fundamentally breached the standard of conduct expected of a teacher,” the panel found.

“The panel was of the view that prohibition was both proportionate and appropriate.

“The serious offences including making indecent photographs of children and possessing prohibited images of children were significant factors in forming that opinion.

“Accordingly, the panel made a recommendation to the Secretary of State that a prohibition order should be imposed with immediate effect.”