Formby High teacher from Southport jailed for sending explicit images to children

A former Formby High School art teacher from Southport has been jailed for 30 months after pleading guilty to sending sexual images to children.

Robert Collins, 39 of Banks Road, was discovered to have sent pictures of his genitals to teenage girls when police seized electronic equipment, after Collins had messaged an undercover police officer, believing them to be a 12-year-old girl.

Reviews of four years of chat logs uncovered that Collins had begged a 13-year-old girl for explicit images, while asking a 12-year-old “what’s the naughtiest thing you’ve done?” and asking if she would “like to have detention” with him.

While Collins was still employed at the time the offences were uncovered, both Formby High School and North West Regional Organised Crime Unit confirmed that the offences were not connected to the school or any of its pupils.

Collins pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual communications with a child, four counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of possession of indecent images of children.

Emma Kehoe, defending, said that Collins was “embarrassed” and “devastated” and that he had previously been diagnosed with a number of mental health disorders.

Alex Wood, headteacher at Formby High School, said: “We were absolutely appalled to learn of these shocking offences. While the offences are in no way connected to Mr Collins’ work at Formby High School, the severity of their nature meant he was immediately suspended from all duties following his arrest and subsequently dismissed.

“The safety and wellbeing of our students will always be our highest priority and we have robust safeguarding policies in place to ensure their protection. We have fully co-operated with the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit and Merseyside Police throughout the investigation and thank them for their diligent work in bringing this individual to account.”