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PAUL Hassall is a former history and maths teacher.
Child porn teacher escapes prison term
Christopher Brereton23/ 2/2006
A TEACHER from Worsley has escaped jail - despite admitting downloading 151 lewd images of children.
Paul Hassall, 43, a former history and maths teacher, who worked in Bolton, received a rehabilitation order rather than prison because the judge said he would not receive the necessary psychiatric treatment if he was locked up.
Hassall, of Greenleach Lane, who had also been a swimming instructor, pleaded guilty to downloading child pornography.
A charge of abusing a position of trust through sexual activity was dropped but ordered to lie on file.
The court again heard that after police officers arrested him, 900 files were found on a computer that contained material of a homosexual nature.
Of these, 151 were deemed to show indecent images of children.
The court heard that Hassall had admitted that the computer was used solely by him and that the pictures had been downloaded for his own personal use and no commercial gain.
The law dictates there are 10 different levels of indecency in reference to the possession of images of children, with level 10 being deemed the most perverted. Hassall possessed 111 at level one, nine at level two, 10 at level three and 21 at level 4 - figures which His Honour Judge Carter QC admitted were 'over the custody threshold'.
After discussing the arguments both for and against a custodial sentence and after expressing concerns that the sentence must prove to the public that Hassall's action were 'totally unacceptable in our society', the judge decided not to imprison him.
He said he felt he could protect the public more by getting Hassall treated for his 'cognitive problems'.
He said: "After considerable hesitation, I have come to the conclusion that I don't send you to prison.
"The suggestion made in the pre-sentence report of community rehabilitation with the sexual treatment programme is no soft option.
"You know there are parts of your cognitive thinking that requires address.
"The order I pass will protect the public and in particular will protect children."
Hassall was given a three year community rehabilitation order, with a condition that he must attend a connected sexual treatment programme.
He was also definitely banned from working in an educational establishment which has any users under 18, and he must not undertake any sporting activities or have unsupervised access to any child under 16.
He must also remain on the Sexual Offenders Register for minimum of five years.
Most recent 2 of 3 user comments
9/03/2006 at 14:45
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I can see the point of the Judge when he talks about the rehabilitation factor, however they should incarcerate him and provide him with some kind of cognitive therapy whilst being punished for his wrong doing.
The fact this guy is being "treated" on the outside for his "ilness" sends out a very POSITIVE signal to other pedophiles and avery NEGATIVE signal to child protection groups.
Personally I think the best therapy for this guy is the birch.
20/03/2006 at 08:59