Former head teacher struck off over child images
Matthew Shillito previously worked at Western Primary School in Harrogate
- Published
A former head teacher who has been banned from the profession for making thousands of indecent images of children continues to maintain his innocence, a panel heard.
Matthew Shillito, who worked at Western Primary School in Harrogate, was convicted of two counts of making indecent images of children in 2022.
Shillito, 44, had pleaded not guilty and said his position had not changed.
A misconduct panel has permanently barred him from teaching and said he would not be able to appeal against the ruling.
'Very limited remorse'
Shillito avoided jail after he was found guilty at York Magistrates' Court of making more than 3,800 indecent images of children between 2007 and 2015.
He was given an 18-month community order with a rehabilitation activity requirement and 200 hours of unpaid work.
North Yorkshire Police said Shillito argued the illegal images "inadvertently found their way onto his devices" while he was looking at other photographs online.
He did not attend the misconduct hearing, but told a Teaching Regulation Agency investigation his position "remains exactly the same as it has throughout".
He added: "I provided a not guilty plea to all charges. This is because I firmly believe that I am not guilty of this offence".
His application for the misconduct hearing to be held in private was rejected.
Shillito had claimed further publicity about his case would have a detrimental effect on him, his family members and his previous school.
Based on his continued denial of the offence, the misconduct panel concluded his remorse was "very limited".
The panel said he had "demonstrably failed to engage with his own behaviour which resulted in his conviction".
Nor had he "gained any meaningful insight into his actions", it added.
The panel said "a material risk of the possible repetition of such behaviour in the future remained".
North Yorkshire Police said none of Shillito's offences related to his employment.
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