March 2011 Chorley ex-headteacher jailed for child porn A FORMER headteacher from Chorley has been jailed for 15 months after admitting making, and distributing, depraved images of child pornography. Peter Croft, 43, of Yew Tree Close, last month pleaded guilty to possessing, and distributing, a total of more than 500 images, indecent photographs, and video clips of children. Prosecuting barrister Paul Cummings told the court that around 80per cent of the images were of young boys, many of whom were under the age of eight. The charges relate to more than 497 child porn images, and 26 video clips. Croft had been headteacher at The Willows RC Primary School, in Kirkham, for around 11 years, before his arrest last autumn. He exchanged the images with like-minded strangers by downloading the photographs and videos to his home computer, before distributing them via MSN and an email account. There is no evidence that he took any of the photographs himself, or sent them to anyone he knew. Croft’s home was raided by police after the nature of his internet activity was uncovered in an inter-national investigation into child pornography. Croft wept in the dock as the court heard he had ‘plunged headlong into a world of shame and humiliation’. After the case, Detective Inspector Hazel Stewart said: “Anyone who commits offences of this nature will be targeted and put before the courts. “We actively investigate online activity and will take robust action against people we suspect of committing such offences. If anyone is concerned about the internet use of people they know, we would urge them to tell us. “Any information we receive will be treated in confidence and will be investigated.” Croft, who had no previous convictions, was also disqualified from working with children, and will be made to sign the sex offenders register.