AN EX-Coventry school teacher has been jailed after admitting grooming children online and making thousands of indecent images.
Alaric Bristow, 31, was arrested after a warrant was executed at his home in Ventnor Close, Wyken, Coventry last September.
West Midlands Police’s Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team (OCSET) began an investigation.
Electronic equipment was seized and detectives found meticulously organised evidence of online grooming, where Bristow had set up fake social networking profiles of a 15-year-old girl which he used to encourage underage boys aged from 12 to 16 to share images and videos with him online.
The disturbing library contained almost 5,000 images of children.
Bristow was released on police bail while the investigation continued with strict conditions, one of which was not to have any access to the internet, but in December he was found to have breached his conditions and was re-arrested.
In January, Bristow pleaded guilty to 12 counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and 10 counts of making/possession of indecent images of children at Warwick Crown Court.
He was sentenced on Friday (May 10) to five years with an extended licence period of six years.
He will remain on the Sex Offender Register for life.
Detective constable Ian Russell, from OCSET, said: “Bristow created folders and spreadsheets on his laptop in order to keep track of his numerous fake profiles and his large number of contacts, detailing the different stages of each ‘relationship’.
“Even after his initial arrest, Bristow could not abstain from his deviant behaviour and breached his bail conditions by obtaining a laptop and accessing the internet to continue offending.
“More than 1,000 images were found to have been stored.
“As a school teacher he was in a position of trust and should have known the devastating emotional effect this type of abuse can have on young people.
“I would like to thank those who have been brave enough to speak to us for their help in securing this sentence and also the partnership agencies for their collaborative support.”
A force spokesperson said: “West Midlands Police always takes reports of child sexual exploitation seriously and has specially trained officers who can speak to victims sensitively.
“We also work with a number of other agencies who can offer support.”
For more information visit: https://www.west-midlands.police.uk/your-options/child-sexual-abuse
