In 2019, the Offender Database reported that Matthew Bradley, then 25, formerly of Birch Grove, Castleford, West Yorkshire, was sentenced at Leicester Crown Court for a “vile” and “serious” catalogue of child abuse offences. Bradley, who was a science teacher at Lees Brook Community School in Chaddesden, Derby, was found in possession of almost 2,000 indecent images of boys, with some victims as young as two years old. The investigation by Leicestershire Police was triggered by a raid on his home in May 2018, which led to his immediate suspension and subsequent dismissal for gross professional misconduct.
The court heard horrific details of the material found on Bradley’s devices, including 747 Category A images and movies—the most serious classification depicting “vicious” sexual abuse. Furthermore, Bradley admitted to a “depraved” act of voyeurism committed at a campsite in August 2017. He utilised a vile tactic of dropping a bottle of shower gel to lure a “young boy” in an adjacent cubicle into view, allowing him to secretly film the naked child under the partition. Recorder Martin Hurst reported that Bradley had been “living a lie” and expressed “serious” repulsion at the “filth” the defendant had consumed.
Matthew Bradley, a former University of Derby student, taught at the Chaddesden school from September 2017 until his arrest. The Northworthy Alliance, which oversees the school, reported that while all pre-employment checks had been completed, the “vicious” digital offences predated his time in Derby. The school had been previously embroiled in a “serious” scandal involving another teacher, Christopher Davis, who was reported to have formed an inappropriate relationship with a pupil. The NSPCC described Bradley’s crimes as “highly disturbing,” noting that he held a position of “serious” responsibility for the safety of young people.
As a result of his guilty pleas to voyeurism and three counts of possessing indecent images, Matthew Bradley was handed a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and was made subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). He is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by West Yorkshire Police and Derbyshire Constabulary, ensuring he remains under intensive supervision. Any further predatory behaviour or attempts to enter a teaching environment in Castleford, Derby, or elsewhere will result in his immediate arrest.
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