MATTHEW MOSES FROM TEIGNMOUTH JAILED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES AT A DEVON SCHOOL

In March 2012, Matthew Moses, a 30-year-old former maintenance worker at a Devon school, was sentenced to three years in prison for engaging in sexual relationships with two female pupils. Moses, of Teignmouth, admitted to 17 counts of sexual activity with a child during his court appearance at Exeter Crown Court.

The misconduct was uncovered after one of the victims, a 15-year-old girl, disclosed the abuse to a teacher in 2010, the court was told.

Moses was employed at an unnamed school in Devon from 2005 to 2010.

The court was informed that he had a two-year affair with one girl and a 10-month relationship with the other. Judge Graham Cottle remarked, 'These offences were in gross breach of the trust placed in you to behave properly towards them. There was a degree of grooming and preparation of these two girls for the sexual activity to which you progressed with each of them.'

A well-known figure in the community, Moses played rugby for Teignmouth and volunteered as a firefighter and lifeboat crewman there.

Judge Cottle noted, 'I discount the sentence to reflect the fact you are of positive good character and a young man who is extremely well thought of in the community where you live and engaged in a lot of community activities.'

Defence lawyer Miss Mary McCarthy explained that Moses was left without a moral compass following his mother's death from cancer and did not fully realize the seriousness of his actions. As part of his sentence, Moses was placed on the sex offenders' register for life, subject to a sexual offences prevention order, and prohibited from working with children.