WREXHAM TEACHER KIERAN MAYE JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Wrexham, Kieran Maye, a teacher and deputy head of mathematics at Clywedog Comprehensive School, was sentenced to prison after being found in possession of a staggering collection of over 8,000 indecent images of children. The images, which included children as young as four years old, were discovered under troubling circumstances that have raised serious concerns about safety and trust within the educational environment.

Maye, aged 34 and residing on York Close in the Abenbury area of Wrexham, faced a series of 16 charges related to the downloading and possession of these illicit images. The charges were formally admitted during a hearing at the local magistrates’ court, where it was revealed that the images ranged from less severe to the most serious categories, with some depicting children between the ages of four and eleven. The sheer volume of material—8,487 images—highlighted the extent of his illegal activity.

The case took a significant turn when Maye’s girlfriend, who was also a teacher at the same school, inadvertently uncovered some of the photographs. The discovery occurred on May 31, while Maye was away on a school trip to Barcelona. She had gone to his home to upload her photographs onto his computer but encountered difficulties. While searching through files to locate her images, she stumbled upon a folder labeled “pre teen,” which contained disturbing child images. The shock of this find prompted her to contact the school’s headmaster and report her concerns to the police.

Following her report, authorities seized Maye’s laptop, which contained the illicit images. The police investigation confirmed the presence of a vast collection of indecent material, leading to his arrest and subsequent court proceedings. During the hearing, Maye claimed that he did not derive sexual gratification from the images stored on his device, asserting that he kept them merely for reasons unknown. However, the judge, Philip Hughes, expressed skepticism about this claim, emphasizing that the number and nature of the images suggested otherwise.

At Mold Crown Court, Judge Hughes sentenced Maye to 10 months in prison. Additionally, he ordered Maye to register as a sex offender with the police for a decade and imposed a lifelong ban on working with children. To further prevent future misuse of the internet, the court issued a 10-year sexual offences prevention order (Sopo).

In his remarks, Judge Hughes highlighted the gravity of the offense, especially given Maye’s role as a teacher and a senior figure within the school community. The judge noted that colleagues and students regarded him as an effective and competent educator, making the betrayal of trust even more profound. “I have no doubt that they would have been absolutely horrified if they knew what you were up to in the privacy of your own home,” he stated.

The prosecutor, Sandra Subacchi, underscored the seriousness of the case, emphasizing the breach of trust and the potential danger posed by individuals in positions of authority. The defense, represented by Ceri Evans, described Maye as a well-regarded teacher who was aware that prison was inevitable, leaving the court to determine the appropriate length of incarceration.