Edmund Warbrick admitted 18 offences of child abuse images and two counts involving animals

Music Teacher Avoids Prison for Child Sex Abuse Images

A music teacher has avoided being sent to prison after pleading guilty to possessing indecent images of children and extreme pornography involving animals.

Edmund Warbrick, 48, of Middle Road, Sholing, Southampton, Hampshire, was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, at Southampton Crown Court. He admitted to 18 offenses of child sex abuse images and two counts involving animals.

Warbrick, who worked at Sholing Technology College for 20 years, was sacked following his arrest. He was also given a 10-year sex offences prevention order banning him from working with children and ordered to sign on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

Warbrick was given a two-year supervision order, ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge and £340 costs.

Martin Brown, headteacher at The Sholing Technology College, said: "We are aware that a former member of staff, employed by The Sholing Technology College from 1 September 1994 until 15 December 2014, pleaded guilty to 18 counts of possession of child pornography and has been sentenced in Southampton Crown Court. We have been fully co-operative in the police investigation against this former member of staff."

"The safety of our students is of paramount importance to us and is therefore something we take very seriously. As a college, we review our safeguarding arrangements on a continuous basis and as a result have robust procedures in place to protect our students."