London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 24, 2025

'Predatory paedophile' headteacher jailed for abuse

'Predatory paedophile' headteacher jailed for abuse

A former headteacher described by a judge as "a highly dangerous predatory paedophile" has been jailed after admitting child sex abuse offences.

Duggie Speight, 44, sexually abused a 15-year-old boy and filmed primary school pupils naked in a changing room.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Speight, head of a school in Yorkshire, began grooming the boy by inviting him over to his flat during lockdown.

He was jailed for 12 years, with an extended licence of eight years.

Passing sentence, Judge Richard Mansell QC said 44-year-old Speight had used his position of trust to "cynically manipulate" the boy and his family.

"Your public persona hid a very dark secret, that you are a highly dangerous, predatory, manipulative paedophile," the judge said.

Judge Mansell said the offending was at the highest category of harm and that his victim would have to "live with the mental scars of what you did to him for the rest of his life".

Prosecutor Tom Storey said Speight became friends with the boy's family and offered tutoring.

He would give the boy alcohol and take him out and buy him expensive presents, including clothes and a laptop.

Mr Storey said that after one shopping trip in April the boy took an overdose and when recovering in hospital told one of his friends about the abuse. The friend told his parents who contacted the police.

When initially interviewed by the police Speight denied the allegations, but officers searched his home and discovered mobiles phones and a tablet hidden behind a wall.

The court was told the devices contained footage of Speight having sex with the boy filmed with a hidden camera.

There was also a video of boys aged about 10 changing at a swimming pool.

'Stolen innocence'


In an impact statement, the boy's mother said Speight had "destroyed my happy family life".

"He used my friendship and trust and twisted it, "she said.

"He stole my son's innocence and we can never get it back."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
William and Kate Are Moving House – and the New Neighbors Were Evicted
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
×