ARTHUR LAWSON'S SEX OFFENCES ORDER EXTENDED IN CLITHEROE AND LONGRIDGE

In a significant development at Burnley Crown Court, Arthur Ian Lawson, a 49-year-old former educator from Longridge, has seen his sexual offences prevention order extended amid ongoing concerns over his past conduct. Lawson, who previously held a senior position at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, was involved in a legal case that drew considerable attention due to the nature of his offences and his prior employment history.

Lawson's legal troubles began when he was found to possess indecent images of children. In April of the previous year, he was sentenced to a community order after admitting to eight counts related to a total of 148 images. The court heard that Lawson resided on Barnacre Road in Longridge at the time of his arrest, which occurred in March of the previous year. His role at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, a well-known institution in the Ribble Valley, was terminated following his arrest.

During the sentencing, Judge Jonathan Gibson imposed a supervision order and mandated that Lawson register as a sex offender for five years. Despite this, the judge also issued a three-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which is notably shorter than the standard minimum of five years. The court's decision to extend this order was made on the grounds of ongoing concerns about Lawson's conduct.

Lawson appeared at Burnley Crown Court on a recent Friday to have the order extended. Following the hearing, he resigned from his position at the school. Currently, Lawson is involved in a legal dispute, claiming unfair dismissal from Clitheroe Royal Grammar School. He alleges that the school failed to allow him to take statutory annual leave or to compensate him accordingly.

As part of the investigation, police officers seized two computers from Lawson’s residence on Barnacre Road. These devices contained the indecent images of children, many of which depicted scenes set in school environments such as gyms and changing rooms. Further examination revealed that Lawson had conducted internet searches using suggestive phrases, including terms like 'schoolboys' and 'spanking.'

Authorities clarified that none of the children depicted in the images were from Clitheroe Grammar School or the local area. The images were categorized by severity, with one classified as level five, indicating the most serious content, another as level four, and the remaining 146 images falling into the lowest category, level one. The police confirmed that the material was of a disturbing nature but did not involve children from the local school community, providing some reassurance to the public in Clitheroe and Longridge.