PAUL WILLIAMS FROM ALVASTON SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN DERBY

In a case that has shocked the local community, Paul Williams, a 31-year-old former teacher from Alvaston, was sentenced to eight months in prison after being found guilty of attempting to incite a 13-year-old girl into engaging in sexual acts. The incident unfolded as part of a police sting operation, where Williams believed he was communicating with a young girl named Amy online, but in reality, he was speaking with an undercover officer from Devon and Cornwall Police.

Williams, who previously taught at Lakeside Primary School located on London Road in Alvaston, was caught during conversations that took place between August 23 and September 3 of the previous year. Prosecutor Martin Hurst detailed that Williams made numerous indecent remarks in an internet chatroom, clearly indicating he was speaking to a minor. The messages included references to the girl’s age and personal details that would have made it obvious to anyone that she was only 13 years old.

During these exchanges, Williams attempted to persuade the girl, whom he believed was named Amy, to perform sexual acts on herself. The court was also shown that Williams sent three photographs of himself to the girl, two of which were of an indecent nature. Despite these actions, the court noted that Williams had no prior complaints regarding his conduct during his time working with schoolchildren, including during camping trips he organized.

Williams pleaded guilty to three charges related to attempting to incite a minor into sexual activity. His defense attorney, David Webster, argued that Williams did not exhibit typical signs of a paedophile. He pointed out that Williams’ computer contained over 180,000 images, none of which depicted children engaged in sexual acts, and that he had not searched for terms commonly associated with paedophilia online. Webster emphasized that the photographs Williams sent were of himself, not of anyone else, and that there was no attempt at deception or disguise.

However, Judge Granville Styler described Williams’ actions as particularly serious, especially given his role as an educator. The judge acknowledged that Williams was a victim of a police sting but emphasized that the crimes were committed for sexual gratification. As part of his sentence, Williams was placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years and was prohibited from working with children in the future.

Detective Constable Annie Vernon, who led the investigation for Derbyshire police, stated, “He deserved a custodial sentence for what he did.” The case was initiated after an undercover officer provided information about Williams’ online activities. Following the charges, Williams was suspended from Lakeside Primary School and was dismissed before Christmas. The school’s head teacher, Simon Emsley, clarified that the police assured him the allegations were not connected to the school or its pupils in any way, but the incident nonetheless cast a shadow over the local community and the reputation of the school.