Paedophile Paul Woodward offered boys drugs

A music teacher from a school in Sevenoaks who offered young boys cash, drugs and alcohol to perform sex acts has been given an indefinite jail sentence.

Paul Woodward, of Hawden Close, Hildenborough, was branded a "predatory paedophile" at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday.

Jailing the 48-year-old former teacher of The New Beacon in Brittains Lane, Judge James O'Mahony said: "You prostituted these young boys, giving them money.

"You took them in your car where they could score cannabis with a supplier."

Woodward had pleaded not guilty to 10 charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, one of sexual activity with a child and one of possessing an indecent photograph of a child.
Click here!

The court was told that Woodward's trail, involving boys, was finally uncovered when one of the victims told his parents about what had been happening.

Woodward had driven them to his home, asking them to duck down when they got near so neighbours would not see, and then asked them to carry out obscene acts.

When police began investigating they found text messages from one of the boys on Woodward's mobile phone, lists of boys' names and naked pictures of boys with his fingerprints.

When a computer was seized by police from the school, words including "boys showering" and "naked boys" were found on it.

Notes also found by police were explained by Woodward as "embarrassing" and "silly fantasies."

He had said: "I don't abuse children. I don't want to and never have. Any suggestion I would bring them to life is ridiculous. I am no danger to children."

Prosecuting, Peter Forbes branded Woodward a "predatory paedophile" for encouraging the boys into his house.

"He incited them to engage in sexual activity, playing on young boys' weaknesses and naivety," said Mr Forbes.

"No doubt his experience as a teacher gave him an insight into the minds of young boys."

Defending Woodward, Charlotte Newell said he was a "lonely man" who suffered from diabetes.

She claimed he was "kind and thoughtful" to those he taught but had now lost everything.

She added the boys involved had known when they had gone to his home what was going to happen and had a choice about engaging in sexual activity.

"Nobody was ever forced to do anything they were not willing to do," said Ms Newell.

The jury was unanimous in Woodward's guilty verdict.

Pointing out Woodward had given no acknowledgement of guilt, Judge O'Mahony said: "You still deny the undeniable, as you did to the jury, saying you are not interested in under-age boys."

Woodward must serve a minimum of two-and-a-half years behind bars before he is considered for parole.

The New Beacon has insisted it acted quickly to protect pupils.

Pointing out none of the boys involved in the case had been at the school, headteacher Mike Piercy said: "Paul Woodward was employed at The New Beacon, but has not worked in the school since the academic year 2006/07.

"The charges Mr Woodward faced do not relate to his employment at The New Beacon or any employee or pupil of the school."

This is Kent