WILLIAM WHILLOCK STAPLEHURST KENT SCHOOL OFFENDER SENTENCED FOR GIRL SEX OFFENCES

On May 21, 2010, a serious case of misconduct involving William Whillock, the vice-principal of a school once attended by Diana, Princess of Wales, came to light in Kent. Whillock, who resided on Headcorn Road in Staplehurst, was sentenced to a community order after admitting to possessing indecent images of a teenage girl and encouraging her to send explicit photographs.

The incident was uncovered when a colleague at The New School, located near Sevenoaks in Kent, discovered inappropriate content on Whillock’s mobile phone. The images and messages were linked to a girl believed to be around 16 or 17 years old. The court was informed that Whillock, a co-founder of the school and its designated child protection officer, had engaged in a troubling exchange with the girl, urging her to send more photographs and referring to her with terms like “princess” and “gorgeous.”

In total, 14 indecent images were retrieved from Whillock’s phone. These images were classified on a severity scale, with all being rated at level one, indicating a relatively lower level of seriousness compared to higher levels. The court heard that the images and texts were exchanged over a period of approximately two weeks, ending on January 9, when Whillock instructed the girl to cease communication.

Whillock, aged 57, was arrested in January and subsequently suspended from his role at the school. During the court proceedings, his defense lawyer, Claire Drury, emphasized that the indecent photographs were only exchanged during that brief period and highlighted Whillock’s previously unblemished character. However, Judge Philip Statman emphasized the gravity of the breach of trust, describing it as a “very grave breach” involving a vulnerable young girl who was not named for legal reasons.

In his sentencing, Judge Statman imposed a three-year community order on Whillock. The judge condemned his actions as degrading to the victim, noting that the explicit texts left little to the imagination. He expressed concern that the girl, who was navigating her own difficulties, had placed her trust in a school environment that should have been a safe haven. The judge also mandated that Whillock participate in a sex offenders’ rehabilitation program and prohibited him from working with children in the future.

Outside the court, the girl’s father expressed his distress, revealing that his daughter had been left contemplating suicide due to the incident. He criticized the leniency of the sentence, stating, “I think he’s lucky he hasn’t been put in prison, he’s got off very lightly.”

It is noteworthy that the school involved was previously known as West Heath Girls’ School, a place that Diana, Princess of Wales, once described as a beloved part of her life. The case underscores the importance of safeguarding and the devastating impact of breaches of trust by individuals in positions of authority.