Senior teacher and married mother-of-three jailed over indecent images of children and animals

Caroline Parry, 45, was head of English and a senior staff member at Bishopsgarth secondary school, in Stockton, when the authorities became aware she was swapping sick fantasies with a man in the US, Teesside Crown Court heard.

She maintained an online relationship for years with the man who disclosed to Parry early on that he was a paedophile with a "preference for sex with very young girls and their mothers", and called her his "fellow paedo".

Parry described in messages to the man the child victims as "cute" and said they appeared to be "loving" what was happening to them.

Caroline Parry, right, arrives at Teesside Crown Court accompanied by a friend gesticulating to the waiting press. Picture: RICHARD RAYNOR / NORTH NEWS & PICTURES

The court heard those images, showing serious abuse by adults of children as young as two, depicted the victims in "visible pain" and distress.

At a previous hearing Parry, of Ryhill Walk, Ormesby, Middlesbrough, admitted making and possessing indecent images of children and one count of possessing extreme pornography involving a horse.

Police found 20 indecent images of children, both moving and still, with 16 of them being of the most serious category.

Judge Stephen Ashurst told Parry that while she had claimed she had merely been exchanging banter with the paedophile in quiet and lonely moments, her judgement had become overwhelmed by her sexual desires.

He said: "Far from being repulsed from what you were viewing, you encouraged him in his sick fantasies. You shared similar messages and sentiments with him.

"All the alarm bells that would inevitably sound in any parent's mind and in particular in someone whose life's work was involved in educating children were ignored by you. The protection of children appears to have taken a back seat.

"Your marriage is now in tatters, your home life disrupted, your career in ruins and, I am sure you will appreciate, all of this is self-inflicted.

"For a number of years you maintained an online relationship with a man in the US."

The judge said the local community could be reassured that the victims were not family members or pupils.

Harry Hadfield, prosecuting, said the investigation was launched by the National Crime Agency while it was looking into the conduct of the man in the US.

On the USB stick which contained images of abuse, they also found school materials relating to Key Stages 4 and 5, he said.

Rachael Dyson, defending, said Parry was "extremely remorseful for her actions" and keen to work with the authorities to address her behaviour.

She described her as working long hours.

"It is expected that her arrest, charge and guilty plea has sent shockwaves through that profession - people being completely surprised that a woman who had been so highly-respected would commit offences of this nature," she said.

A spokesman for Bishopsgarth School said: “Ms Parry is no longer employed by the school and we would like to reassure our parents and carers that these offences are in no way related to the school or its pupils.

"Furthermore, we have very robust policies and procedures in place to safeguard and protect children in our care.”

National Crime Agency officers arrested Parry last September and found her to be in possession of 20 category A  and B images of child sexual abuse and extreme pornographic films and images.

As well as serving 18 months in prison, Parry was put on the sex offenders register for 10 years and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same period, which judge Ashurst said would mean she would have to disclose all her internet use to the police and be supervised when in contact with girls aged under 16.

Colin Radcliffe, operations manager at the NCA’s CEOP Command said: “Whilst there is no evidence that Caroline Parry abused her position of trust at her place of work, we consider that she poses a significant risk due to nature of the images she was downloading and viewing.

"The chat logs which she had engaged in seemed to span a number of years, and were extreme in nature.

"Individuals who think they can share indecent images of children under the radar of law enforcement should know that we will pursue them and ensure they are brought to justice”.

The NCA is working closely with Cleveland Police and local Children’s Services to ensure appropriate safeguarding.

Any member of the public who is concerned can contact the NCA’s CEOP command: www.ceop.police.uk or the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, or via email at help@nspcc.org.uk