Primary school deputy head exposed as sex offender caught by undercover police

A primary school deputy headteacher has been exposed as a sex offender who asked who he thought was a 14-year-old boy for "naughty pictures".

Anthony Moses, 48, of East Road, Oakfield, Cwmbran, thought he was messaging an under-age child on dating website FabGuys before switching to Snapchat, but was caught by an undercover police officer posing as a teenager.

The deputy headteacher of Durand Primary School in Caldicot, Monmouthshire, was given a six-month jail term suspended for 12 months.

The school sent a letter to parents confirming that the matter was not related to any child connected to the school or the local community.

It told parents they "may become aware of information in the public domain regarding our deputy headteacher, Anthony Moses".

The school added that as soon as the school became aware of the incident, it had worked with statutory partners, the local authority and police.

Monmouthshire council confirmed Moses was not in work at the time of the offences.

"As a council and school, the safeguarding and wellbeing of our pupils is our main priority," a spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"The school and local authority will follow due process now that the criminal process has been concluded."

Moses' offending took place 20 November 2024. He denied the charge of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child but was convicted following a trial in February this year before appearing for sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday.

According to the South Wales Argus, the sentencing hearing was told Moses had written a "letter of remorse" to Judge Richard Kember.

The judge said to the defendant that he knew the "boy" was aged just 14 years old.

He added: "You asked the decoy, 'You got any naughty pictures?' You sought and solicited images."

The judge told Moses he would spare him an immediate prison sentence because he believed there was a "realistic prospect of rehabilitation".

Moses must carry out 150 hours of unpaid work in the community and complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He will have to register as a sex offender for the next seven years and he was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same period of time.

A statutory victim surcharge will also have to be paid.