A former deputy head teacher at a London primary school who pleaded guilty for paying and instructing teenagers in India to abuse younger children was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Wednesday.
Matthew Smith, 35, residing in East Dulwich, south London, was apprehended by the UK’s National Crime Agency in November last year following their discovery that he was sharing abusive material on the dark web. He has now been sentenced at Southwark Crown Court in London.
According to NCA, Smith was apprehended while engaging online with a teenage boy in India, asking him to send sexual images of a younger child in exchange for money. He also had dark web sites and forums open on his computer dedicated to child sexual abuse.
Helen Dore, Senior Officer of the NCA stated, Matthew Smith is a prolific offender and master manipulator, who coerced young men into abusing children on his behalf.”
She stated, “He constantly sought out opportunities to gain access to children, but was adept at hiding his sexual interest in them. He conducted his offending while working as a teacher and head of pastoral care – a deep betrayal of the trust placed in him. It’s clear Smith has absolutely no empathy for his victims and the harm he has caused them. He presents a very real and significant risk to children, but this investigation has ensured he will spend a long time in prison.”
Smith is also subjected to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and is registered as a sex offender for life. The NCA emphasized its commitment to global online operations, collaborating with international partners to safeguard children and bring offenders like Smith to justice.
NCA investigators scrutinized chat logs and financial transactions, establishing that Smith paid the same teenager, and another based in India, a total of GBP 65,398 for child abuse over a five-year period.
Furthermore, the chat logs showed that Smith would instruct the young men to perform sexual acts on boys and would send them images and videos as examples of ones he would like to receive in return.
Smith also advised one of them on befriending children and gaining their trust to facilitate abuse. He spent time working in orphanages and NGOs across India from 2007 to 2014 before relocating to Nepal, where he worked at a school.
UK investigators discovered potential offenses against children in India while Smith was employed there. The NCA shared this information with Indian authorities and continues to collaborate to identify and safeguard victims.
Smith returned to the UK in July 2022, commencing work at a London primary school in September of that year, where he held the position of deputy head teacher and head of pastoral care. He placed an online advertisement offering a flat-share, indicating he was a primary school teacher and could assist with childcare.
He was arrested before any arrangements were made, according to the NCA, which also noted no evidence of offenses against children in Nepal or the UK.
Officers found over 120,000 indecent images of children on Smith’s laptop, SD card, and phone. In June, NCA reported his guilty plea to 5 initial offenses, including causing the sexual exploitation of a child under 13. He was remanded in custody in November 2022.
This year, he pleaded guilty to 17 additional counts, such as encouraging the rape of a child under 13, inducing a child under 13 into sexual activity, and arranging child sexual abuse.”
