A Birmingham school teacher was caught with sick videos of crying babies being sexually abused. Police raided Patryk Miguel's address while he was in bed with his laptop resting on his chest. Dozens of indecent images were found on the computer as well as on a USB stick.
Investigation Details
An investigation established there was no overlap between the material and the 28-year-old's job at a city boys' school, which he has now lost. Miguel, of Wideacre Drive, Great Barr, broke down in tears in the dock at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, May 21. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, having admitted two counts of making indecent images.
On April 30 last year, West Midlands Police received a referral from the National Crime Agency stating that the user of a Google account had uploaded illegal images to the internet. The account was traced to Miguel, who was revealed to be a teacher at a boys' school in Birmingham. Officers from the child sexual exploitation team attended his home address on June 16 last year.
Court Proceedings
Maninder Chaggar, prosecuting, said: "They were permitted entry by the defendant's mother who directed them to the bedroom. Upon entering the room the officers found the defendant lying in bed with a silver MacBook laptop resting on his chest. They asked him not to touch the laptop and asked him what he was doing. He replied 'just getting up'."
Miguel answered 'no comment' in interview after being formally arrested. His devices were analysed and child sexual abuse material was found on his MacBook as well as a USB stick. In total there were 41 category A images, the worst type, and four category B. The court was told they included videos of children aged between zero and two years crying in pain while being raped.
Defense and Sentencing
Miguel accepted he viewed the material but claimed he received it via a Telegram account and did not go looking for it. Chantelle Stocks, defending, said: "The consequences upon himself have been greatly felt. It is entirely of his own doing. He of course as a result of the investigation and subsequent proceedings lost his job and what he describes as his true vocation and calling in life, his career in the teaching profession. He understands as a consequence he will never be able to return to that."
She said there was no overlap between the indecent material and his work in the school, where he was held in high regard by colleagues. Ms Stocks said Miguel suffered childhood trauma which had a significant impact on his mental health. She told the court he was currently living at home with his parents, not paying rent but receiving benefits.
Judge Tom Rochford, passing sentence, told him: "You were a man of good character. More than that you were somebody of positive good character. As you are all too aware you have thrown away that status and lost a career you valued and, I have read, were good at. You were a teacher and had a position of responsibility and trust towards your pupils. You did not abuse that trust. There is no reason to suspect you acted inappropriately in work. But your work is relevant as you would have had extensive safeguarding training and known the risks children who are abused face. You also had a traumatic background yourself. These are images that cause real, genuine harm. They are images of real children being abused."
Miguel was assessed as being unsuitable to carry out unpaid work. He was ordered to carry out 30 days of rehabilitation activity, pay £150 in costs and was made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO). Judge Rochford concluded the loss of his job was a 'real punishment', adding: "This is not a case where you are being let off and especially let off without punishment."
