PETER SKINNER BURY TEACHER CAUGHT IN ONLINE CHILD GROOMING SCANDAL IN NORTH WALES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Bury, Peter Skinner, a former teacher at Bury Grammar School, was found guilty of engaging in online conversations with a police officer posing as a 14-year-old boy. The incident unfolded over a span of four days, during which Skinner exchanged increasingly explicit messages with the undercover officer, who was pretending to be a teenage boy named Dylan.

Skinner, who retired from his teaching position last year after decades of service, initially claimed that he was comfortable with the age of the boy he was chatting with, stating that he simply enjoyed talking to 'nice, teen lads.' The prosecutor, Justin Hayhoe, detailed how Skinner was told that Dylan was only 14, but he responded by saying he was 'okay with his age' because he 'just liked chatting to nice, teen lads.'

Following this, Skinner directed Dylan to move their conversation into a private, encrypted chatroom, which allowed for more explicit exchanges. The court heard that Skinner eventually arranged to meet Dylan in North Wales, promising to shower him with gifts and perform a sexual act. The police intervened before this meeting could take place, executing a raid on Skinner’s residence in Greenmount, Bury, last October.

During the search, authorities discovered 26 indecent images of children stored on Skinner’s laptop. Further investigation revealed that he had used specialized software to 'forensically clean' his electronic devices, attempting to erase evidence of his activities. These findings contributed to the charges brought against him.

Skinner faced eight charges in total. He pleaded guilty to five, including inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, while the remaining three charges were left on file. The court was told that Skinner had lied about his age, claiming to be 59, and suggested that it would be easier if Dylan was over 16. When discussing the possibility of meeting in Llandudno, Skinner assured the court that he would treat Dylan with respect and would not do anything he didn’t want to do. He also expressed a desire to maintain a long-term friendship rather than a one-time sexual encounter.

During the proceedings, it was revealed that Skinner boasted about owning four cars, including a Jaguar, and even offered to take Dylan for a ride in a supercar. The court heard that it was Skinner who initiated the sexual content, sending an explicit image of an underage girl to Dylan. Many of the details discussed in court were too graphic to be fully disclosed in the media.

In mitigation, Mr. Buckle, representing Skinner, asked the judge for leniency. He acknowledged the presence of 'poisonous material' in the messages but emphasized that the offences were not exceptional. He highlighted Skinner’s long-standing reputation as a pillar of the Bury community, noting his contributions to the local school, including helping to design and build the Modern Foreign Languages building and donating £20,000 of his own money when funds were short.

Mr. Buckle pointed out that Skinner had built a positive legacy over four decades, which was ultimately destroyed in just four days of online chat with Dylan. As the court delivered its sentence, Skinner showed no reaction when informed that he would not be going to prison. Instead, he was handed a two-year suspended sentence, meaning he would not serve time unless he committed further offences.

Additionally, Skinner was ordered to remain on the Sex Offenders Register and to comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the next ten years, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities to protect the community from potential harm.