PAUL DEAN FROM OXFORD'S DRAGON SCHOOL FACES JAIL OVER CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES
In January 2020, a serious criminal case emerged involving Paul Dean, a former educator at one of Britain’s most prestigious private institutions, The Dragon School in Oxford.Dean, who previously served as the Head of English at the school, was found to have downloaded and possessed indecent images of children, leading to significant legal repercussions.
Paul Dean, aged 66 and residing in Oxford, admitted to three counts of creating indecent images of children.
The images he was found to have in his possession were classified as the most severe category, Category A, along with additional images in categories B and C.
The offences were committed in Oxford on or before January 31, 2018, marking a disturbing breach of trust and safety.
Following his guilty plea, Dean was scheduled for sentencing at Oxford Magistrates Court in December.
However, the case was adjourned to allow for a pre-sentence report, and Dean was remanded on unconditional bail.
He is expected to return to court on February 26 for further proceedings.
Details of Dean’s employment history reveal that he retired from full-time teaching in 2015 but continued to work at The Dragon School on a part-time basis.
His employment was suspended in 2018 when Thames Valley Police launched an investigation into his activities, and he was subsequently dismissed from his position shortly thereafter.
The Dragon School, established in 1877 by Oxford University dons for their children, caters to students aged four to thirteen.
The school’s leadership responded swiftly to the allegations, issuing a statement to concerned parents.
In the statement, Headmaster Crispin Hyde-Dunn and Governor Chris Jones expressed their regret and reassured the community that there was no evidence linking the offences to any activities on school premises or involving current or former pupils.
They further explained that once the police investigation commenced, Dean was immediately suspended, and his contract was terminated.
The school emphasized their commitment to safeguarding and expressed their apologies for the distress caused by the situation.
The case has cast a shadow over the institution, which has a long-standing history of educational excellence in Oxford.
