Pervert Yorkshire teacher filmed children in changing rooms

Simon Knowles, 52, disguised cameras as a pen and even as a shirt button to film unsuspecting youngsters as they got changed.

Parents at the North Yorkshire school were unaware of Knowles’ sick crimes until police arrested and charged him last year following a tip-off.

Today he was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to 24 offences at York Crown Court.

Investigating officer, Det Sgt Mark Jackson, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “He is an educated man but in reality, he was calculating and deceitful. He educated himself in the technology and used his knowledge to film children in various settings by using an array of methods.

“He had cameras disguised as everyday items. One was disguised as a pen and another as a shirt button.”

The charges Knowles admitted included making indecent images of children, possessing indecent images of children, distributing indecent images of children and recording a person doing a private act.

Officers investigating the case found 19,541 indecent photographs of children on Knowles’ computer along with 174 indecent videos.

They also found evidence that he had distributed 147 indecent photographs of children.

Knowles, formerly of Harrogate but now of Bridlington, committed his offences from 2009 up until his arrest in April 2012.

Det Sgt Jackson added: “On the face of it, Simon Knowles was a well-liked teacher who had the respect of his colleagues and aspired to be an assistant head teacher.

“He completely abused his position of trust for his own sexual gratification.

“The level of betrayal, falseness and dishonesty he has displayed over a number of years is rarely seen.

“He filmed innocent children while they were getting changed, using covert methods which highlights the lengths he was prepared to go to indulge his twisted fantasies.”

Knowles was caught after a similar case in Surrey, in which the perpetrator was contacting people nationwide, among them Knowles.

North Yorkshire County Council said after the case: “The school and the local authority have fully cooperated with the police throughout the investigation, and the school has supported parents throughout this terrible ordeal.”