“WE are devastated that a former member of staff could have behaved in this way.”
That’s the message from bosses at a Wokingham private school whose music teacher was sentenced for making indecent images of children.
Gordon Waterson, who lived at the school, was spared prison despite ‘using every spare hour’ to download more than 10,000 child porn images from 2015 to 2020.
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This included the most explicit material possible featuring boys aged between two and ten-years-old.
At Reading Crown Court, the 33-year-old was also sentenced for sending perverted images of children to smutty group chats in order to talk about child abuse with “like-minded people”.
Gordon Waterson worked and lived at Ludgrove School.
Waterson, of Clinton Road, Edinburgh, taught as the Director of Music at Ludgrove School, an independent boarding school for boys aged 8-13 in Wokingham where parents pay £9,775 per term.
He was suspended by his employers in July 2020 after Waterson’s shocking crimes emerged.
Now, bosses at Ludgrove School have commented following his sentencing on April 22.
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A spokesperson said: "Ludgrove confirms that Mr Gordon Waterson, a former member of staff, has been given a suspended sentence at Reading Crown Court having been found guilty of offences relating to the viewing and distribution of child pornography.
Gordon Waterson worked and lived at Ludgrove School.
“The offences were unrelated to the school and no other member of the school community, past or present, was involved in this matter.
“Nonetheless, as a community we are devastated that a former member of staff could have behaved in this way.
“Gordon Waterson commenced work as Director of Music at Ludgrove in September 2018.
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“In July 2020 the School became aware that allegations linked to safeguarding issues had been made against him.
Gordon Waterson leaving Reading Crown Court
“He was suspended and vacated his school accommodation immediately and formally resigned his post in October 2020.
“The school undertook a review of its recruitment and safeguarding procedures and found them to be entirely compliant with all relevant guidance and legislation, and that they had been correctly followed in relation to Mr Waterson’s employment.”
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