Matthew Smith, a vile teacher at Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s old school jailed for paying £65k for sexual photos of children.
The ex-deputy head teacher at Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s former primary school is currently jailed for child sex abuse.
Matthew Smith recruited two teens in India to groom then abuse kids in exchange for him paying their school fees.
He also allegedly encouraged the rape of a child under 13, causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and arranging the sexual abuse of a child.
Below are everything to know about him and what his did.
Who is Matthew Smith?
Southwark Crown Court heard Smith was a teacher at a school in Nepal and also spent various periods working in orphanages across India between 2007 and 2014.
He moved back to the UK in July 2022 where he was made deputy head of pastoral care at Thomas’s prep school in Battersea. The mentioned instituition is British Royals, Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s old school.
A few months after joining the school, all his crimes were brought to books.
None of his charges related to the school, which George and Charlotte attended until their move to Windsor in September.
He was terminated after the school learnt of the charges.
A spokesman for the Thomas’s Battersea said: “As always, we remain absolutely committed to the ongoing safety and wellbeing of our pupils and our whole school community.”
Prince William and Princess Kate announced in August that their children would be moving to a school in Berkshire.
They said at the time: “Their Royal Highnesses are hugely grateful to Thomas’s Battersea where George and Charlotte have had a happy start to their education since 2017 and 2019 respectively and are pleased to have found a school for all three of their children which shares a similar ethos and values to Thomas’s.”
What did Matthew Smith do?
The vile 35-year-old has now been jailed for 12 years after he admitted 22 counts, including encouraging the rape of a child under 13.
Smith was caught when investigators found he had been sharing material on the dark web.
Police who raided his home then discovered a disturbing cache of evidence.
The “prolific offender” had paid two teenagers based in India a total of £65,398 to groom abuse children over a five-year period in exchange for him paying their school fees.
Smith would instruct the young men, who he got to know while living in the country, on how to abuse children as young as seven.
All of the charges relate to the sexual abuse of children in India online between 2017-2022.
During this time he worked as assistant head in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Officers said the alleged offences did not relate to children based in the UK or Nepal.
Helen Dore, Senior Officer at the National Crime Agency, said: “Child sexual abuse committed online and across borders is a substantial threat to the UK, and it’s one the NCA is committed to tackling.
“We are dedicated to pursuing the most dangerous offenders and to protecting any child who may be at risk, in the UK and across the globe.”