‘prolific offender’ | 

Former primary school teacher jailed for paying teens over €75k to abuse younger kids

Matthew Smith (35) was found in possession of more than 120,000 pornographic images of children

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A former British primary school teacher has been jailed for 12 years in London for paying in excess of €75,000 to arrange the abuse of young children in India.

Matthew Smith, 35, from East Dulwich, instructed teenagers to abuse kids over a period of half a decade and was found in possession of more than 120,000 pornographic images of children.

Smith, who was deputy head teacher at Thomas’s prep school in Battersea High Street, was arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in November 2022 after cops identified him for sharing abuse material on the internet.

According to the NCA, Smith was online at the time police caught up with him. He was speaking to a teenager living in India and asking him to send sexual images of a child, in return for cash. He also had forums open on his computer which were dedicated to child sexual abuse.

“Matthew Smith is a prolific offender and master manipulator, who coerced young men into abusing children on his behalf,” said Helen Dore, Senior Officer of the NCA.

“He constantly sought out opportunities to gain access to children, but was adept at hiding his sexual interest in them. He conducted his offending while working as a teacher and head of pastoral care – a deep betrayal of the trust placed in him.

“It’s clear Smith has absolutely no empathy for his victims and the harm he has caused them. He presents a very real and significant risk to children, but this investigation has ensured he will spend a long time in prison,” she said.

Chat logs showed Smith would instruct the young men to perform sexual acts on kids and would send them images and videos as examples of ones he would like to receive in return.

Smith would explain how to befriend children and build trust with a view to abusing them. He spent periods working in orphanages and NGOs across India between 2007-2014 and later lived in Nepal where he worked at a school.

A spokesman for Thomas’s prep school said: “We have been shocked and appalled beyond measure by this matter and are grateful for the work of the police and courts in bringing this man to account.

“Mr Smith’s employment at the school, which commenced in September 2022, was terminated with immediate effect when the school first learned of the charges against him in November.

“While the National Crime Agency has confirmed that none of the matters under investigation related to the school or its pupils, these deplorable actions constitute an unforgivable breach of trust and our thoughts are with those who have been impacted or damaged by them. As always, we remain absolutely committed to the ongoing safety and wellbeing of our pupils and our whole school community.”