Maths teacher, 28, jailed for offering girls £300 to pose topless after police find 17 naked photos of one pupil on his computer
- Neil Mason, 28, from Cheshire, made sexual suggestions to schoolgirls
- Used pupils at school as 'sex objects of desire to satisfy his sexual lust'
- Admitted kissing 16-year-old girl intimately on lips and stroking her leg
By MARK DUELL PUBLISHED: 08:22 GMT, 9 October 2013 | UPDATED: 11:08 GMT, 9 October 2013
Maths teacher: Neil Mason, 28, made sexual suggestions to some girls, often texting under a pseudonym and using Facebook
A maths teacher who offered schoolgirls £300 to pose topless and sent naked pictures of himself to a 16-year-old girl has been jailed for more than two years.Neil Mason, 28 - who taught at The Heath School in Runcorn, Cheshire - made sexual suggestions to girls, often texting under a pseudonym and using Facebook, Chester Crown Court heard.He used pupils at the school as ‘sex objects of desire to satisfy his sexual lust’ and admitted intimately kissing the girl to whom he sent the naked images on the lips and stroking her leg.Maria Masselis, prosecuting, added: ‘There was a lengthy and intense history of inappropriate contact. He wanted her to go to his home and engage in sexual contact. She felt scared. He stroked her leg and kissed her on the mouth.’Police found 17 images of the girl, topless and nude, on his computer.
Other victims said they felt ‘scared’ and ‘betrayed’ and could no longer trust male teachers. The judge described Mason as ‘a parent’s worst nightmare’ who had ‘corrupted’ the lives of children.Mason admitted ten charges which involved four victims between March 2012 and December 2012.They were two counts of causing girls under 15 to engage in sexual activity, six counts of adult abuse of position of trust against girls over 16, and two charges of making indecent photographs. He pleaded not guilty to causing a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity and this will lie on file.Rachel Shenton, defending, said Mason had a serious gambling addiction and faced huge debts. He was now living with his parents who had offered emotional and financial support.
Predator: He used the pupils at The Heath School (pictured) in Runcorn, Cheshire as 'sex objects of desire to satisfy his sexual lust' and admitted kissing a 16-year-old intimately on the lips and stroking her leg
His father had repaid £41,000, writing off ten of his pay day loans. Ms Shenton said: ‘This was a period of utter madness. This was a man who was going to pieces in every area of his life.
Action: Mason was immediately suspended as soon as allegations of sexual misconduct came to light
‘He has lost everything, his reputation, his good character, his home, his relationship and his career. This is a young man who has made a huge mistake with huge implications.’She said Mason is undergoing professional treatment for his addiction and had enrolled on a master’s degree in quantity surveying and financial management.Mason was put on the sex offender’s register for life and was disqualified from working with children. His indecent images will be destroyed.Sentencing, the Recorder of Chester, Judge Elgin Edwards, said: ‘Over a period of 12 months, you abused your trust as a maths teacher at The Heath School in Runcorn. Your conduct was quite deplorable.‘
Parents have a right to expect that their children will be safe when they are in school and be taught, not regarded as sex objects of desire to satisfy a teacher’s sexual lust.‘That is what you did to these four girls. You are a sexual predator. You have brought shame on your profession, yourself, your family, your school and your colleagues.‘Children are sent to school to learn and be educated, not to be corrupted by a man like you. You have endeavoured to corrupt four girls. This is a parent’s worst nightmare.’Mason was jailed for two-and-a-half years. After the sentencing, Cheshire Police Detective Constable Tim Murray said: ‘Mason used his position of trust to prey on vulnerable teenage girls.
Sentencing: Chester Crown Court (pictured) in Cheshire was told Mason is undergoing professional treatment for his addiction and had enrolled on a master's degree in quantity surveying and financial management
‘Each of the girls looked up to Mason and came to see him as a friend as well as a teacher and he manipulated those relationships in a bid to satisfy his own sexual desires.‘I would like to praise the courage of the victims for not only reporting Mason’s inappropriate behaviour, but also for supporting the prosecution.‘There can be little doubt that these incidents will have a lasting effect on the victims but we will continue to work with them to ensure they have all the support they need. I hope that the conclusion of this case will give them some closure.
'Children are sent to school to learn and be educated, not to be corrupted by a man like you. You have endeavoured to corrupt four girls. This is a parent’s worst nightmare'
Judge Elgin Edwards
‘Cheshire Police takes any allegations of sexual offences extremely seriously and would encourage anyone who has been a victim of this type of crime to contact police. Specialist trained officers are available to provide support throughout the investigation.’Mason was immediately suspended as soon as allegations of sexual misconduct came to light.Also speaking following the court case, The Heath School principal Jamie Jardine said: ‘The Heath received a complaint from a pupil to whom Mr Mason had sent an inappropriate text.‘
The school referred the matter immediately to the local authority’s safeguarding committee and the police. Mr Mason was suspended by The Heath immediately and was interviewed by the police the same day. As a result of this, proceedings followed which have ended in his conviction.'His employment with The Heath ended in June after his period of suspension. The Heath takes any issue regarding the safeguarding of children most seriously, as it did in this case, and was gratified to be complimented by the police on their handling of the matter when it first arose.'
Maths teacher: Neil Mason, 28, made sexual suggestions to some girls, often texting under a pseudonym and using Facebook
A maths teacher who offered schoolgirls £300 to pose topless and sent naked pictures of himself to a 16-year-old girl has been jailed for more than two years.Neil Mason, 28 - who taught at The Heath School in Runcorn, Cheshire - made sexual suggestions to girls, often texting under a pseudonym and using Facebook, Chester Crown Court heard.He used pupils at the school as ‘sex objects of desire to satisfy his sexual lust’ and admitted intimately kissing the girl to whom he sent the naked images on the lips and stroking her leg.Maria Masselis, prosecuting, added: ‘There was a lengthy and intense history of inappropriate contact. He wanted her to go to his home and engage in sexual contact. She felt scared. He stroked her leg and kissed her on the mouth.’Police found 17 images of the girl, topless and nude, on his computer.
Other victims said they felt ‘scared’ and ‘betrayed’ and could no longer trust male teachers. The judge described Mason as ‘a parent’s worst nightmare’ who had ‘corrupted’ the lives of children.Mason admitted ten charges which involved four victims between March 2012 and December 2012.They were two counts of causing girls under 15 to engage in sexual activity, six counts of adult abuse of position of trust against girls over 16, and two charges of making indecent photographs. He pleaded not guilty to causing a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity and this will lie on file.Rachel Shenton, defending, said Mason had a serious gambling addiction and faced huge debts. He was now living with his parents who had offered emotional and financial support.
Predator: He used the pupils at The Heath School (pictured) in Runcorn, Cheshire as 'sex objects of desire to satisfy his sexual lust' and admitted kissing a 16-year-old intimately on the lips and stroking her leg
His father had repaid £41,000, writing off ten of his pay day loans. Ms Shenton said: ‘This was a period of utter madness. This was a man who was going to pieces in every area of his life.
Action: Mason was immediately suspended as soon as allegations of sexual misconduct came to light
‘He has lost everything, his reputation, his good character, his home, his relationship and his career. This is a young man who has made a huge mistake with huge implications.’She said Mason is undergoing professional treatment for his addiction and had enrolled on a master’s degree in quantity surveying and financial management.Mason was put on the sex offender’s register for life and was disqualified from working with children. His indecent images will be destroyed.Sentencing, the Recorder of Chester, Judge Elgin Edwards, said: ‘Over a period of 12 months, you abused your trust as a maths teacher at The Heath School in Runcorn. Your conduct was quite deplorable.‘
Parents have a right to expect that their children will be safe when they are in school and be taught, not regarded as sex objects of desire to satisfy a teacher’s sexual lust.‘That is what you did to these four girls. You are a sexual predator. You have brought shame on your profession, yourself, your family, your school and your colleagues.‘Children are sent to school to learn and be educated, not to be corrupted by a man like you. You have endeavoured to corrupt four girls. This is a parent’s worst nightmare.’Mason was jailed for two-and-a-half years. After the sentencing, Cheshire Police Detective Constable Tim Murray said: ‘Mason used his position of trust to prey on vulnerable teenage girls.
Sentencing: Chester Crown Court (pictured) in Cheshire was told Mason is undergoing professional treatment for his addiction and had enrolled on a master's degree in quantity surveying and financial management
‘Each of the girls looked up to Mason and came to see him as a friend as well as a teacher and he manipulated those relationships in a bid to satisfy his own sexual desires.‘I would like to praise the courage of the victims for not only reporting Mason’s inappropriate behaviour, but also for supporting the prosecution.‘There can be little doubt that these incidents will have a lasting effect on the victims but we will continue to work with them to ensure they have all the support they need. I hope that the conclusion of this case will give them some closure.
'Children are sent to school to learn and be educated, not to be corrupted by a man like you. You have endeavoured to corrupt four girls. This is a parent’s worst nightmare'
Judge Elgin Edwards
‘Cheshire Police takes any allegations of sexual offences extremely seriously and would encourage anyone who has been a victim of this type of crime to contact police. Specialist trained officers are available to provide support throughout the investigation.’Mason was immediately suspended as soon as allegations of sexual misconduct came to light.Also speaking following the court case, The Heath School principal Jamie Jardine said: ‘The Heath received a complaint from a pupil to whom Mr Mason had sent an inappropriate text.‘
The school referred the matter immediately to the local authority’s safeguarding committee and the police. Mr Mason was suspended by The Heath immediately and was interviewed by the police the same day. As a result of this, proceedings followed which have ended in his conviction.'His employment with The Heath ended in June after his period of suspension. The Heath takes any issue regarding the safeguarding of children most seriously, as it did in this case, and was gratified to be complimented by the police on their handling of the matter when it first arose.'
