Teacher caught in police sting sending explicit images to 'girl'

A paedo teacher who sent pictures of himself performing a sex act to a 14-year-old 'girl', walked free from court but faces being banned from the classroom for life. Twisted Paul Dawkins believed he was engaging in sordid chat with the youngster whilst feeling “horny”, but, in reality, was conversing on a chat site with an undercover police officer, posing as a 14-year-old girl, ‘Q’.

Durham Crown Court heard that despite the minimum age for users of the site being 18, the defendant immediately asked ‘Q’ for her age, and, although he was told 14, it did not deter him from continuing the exchanges, even telling he was in his 40s. Elisha Marsay, prosecuting, told the court that although Dawkins said he “probably shouldn’t do”, he agreed to an invite to transfer the exchanges onto Snapchat, which he told her he only used when he was “horny”.

Dawkins was axed from his job as a result of his conviction for attempted sexual communication with a child

He asked ‘Q’ if he was the oldest person that she had chatted to and told her it would be hard to keep it secret.

Miss Marsay said the conversation turned to sexual matters and there was a request to exchange explicit photos. The court heard he sent her images of his private parts and of himself performing a sex act.

She said the defendant acknowledged what he was doing was wrong, but continued to message ‘Q’, until the exchanges ended in April last year.

Miss Marsay said Durham Police paid Dawkins an early morning visit on June 20 last year, arresting him and seizing his laptop, tablet and phone.

Although it emerged he had downloaded Snapchat in February last year, it had been deleted by the time his phone was examined.

Dawkins replied “no comment” to all questions in his police interview.

But, when he appeared before Peterlee magistrates, last month, the 48-year-old defendant, formerly of Seaham, but now of Billingham, admitted attempting to cause a child to watch/look at an image of sexual activity and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Judge Anthony Dunne told the court sentencing hearing that he had read the Probation Service background report on Dawkins.

He said: “It’s right to say the defendant has suffered adverse consequences as a result of his arrest.”

Martin Scarborough, for Dawkins, said: “Given his position he should know much better and he realised what he was doing was wrong.”

Mr Scarborough confirmed that his client would be subject to the barring process, preventing him from working with children or vulnerable adults, in future.

Judge Dunne told Dawkins: "It's difficult to believe someone aged 48 and in your position, working as a teacher, could possibly have contemplated communicating in this way with someone who made it clear, right at the outset, they were 14-years-old."

But he acknowledged the defendant has no previous convictions and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

He, therefore, made him subject of a two-year community sentence, during which the defendant must perform 150 hours’ unpaid work and complete 40 rehabilitation activity sessions with the Probation Service.

Dawkins will also be subject of internet restrictions under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and notification requirements as a sex offender, both for five years.

Judge Dunne told the defendant: “You’re now free to leave the dock. I’m confident this is an experience you will never want to repeat again.

“But, it’s up to you.”