MATHEW GILKES

A former high school teacher has been discovered to have taken over a million upskirt photographs of students using covert cameras concealed in pens.

Mathew Gilkes, a sex offender, also created false social media profiles to impersonate teenagers.

Through these accounts, he groomed and manipulated young girls into sending him explicit images and videos of themselves.

Gilkes’ extensive criminal activities came to light when he was observed photographing children at a leisure centre in Chorley during August 2024.

A subsequent investigation traced his vehicle leaving the parking lot, leading to his identification and arrest.

A search executed at his residence and workplace uncovered more than 80 electronic devices, including smartphones, computers, laptops—among them a school-issued device—spy pens, portable cameras, and memory cards with thousands of indecent images of children.

Many of these images depicted pupils from his school, where he was employed as an ICT teacher, using hidden cameras in pens and small cube-shaped devices.

In addition to photographic offences, Gilkes engaged in online grooming activities—posing as a teenage boy to communicate with numerous underage girls, encouraging and coercing them into sharing indecent images.

The 47-year-old, formerly residing on Harrison Road in Chorley and employed at a high school in Greater Manchester, admitted to 42 charges in November 2023.

These charges included operating recording equipment beneath clothing without consent (upskirting), engaging in sexual communication with a minor, producing indecent images of children, and inciting a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual acts.

This week, Gilkes appeared before Preston Crown Court and was sentenced to 16 years in prison, with an additional five years on licence.

An indefinite sexual harm prevention order was also imposed.

Officers Det Con Holly McClave and Det Con Rachel Phillips from the South Exploitation Team played key roles in securing his conviction.

Det Con McClave stated that Gilkes is a highly dangerous individual with a pattern of predatory behaviour towards young girls, whom he exploited for sexual gratification.

She praised the victims for their bravery in speaking out and expressed hope that the sentence would reinforce that justice has been served.

The police remain committed to targeting those who exploit children, listening to victims, and bringing offenders to justice, as demonstrated in this case.