A FORMER Barnsley head teacher has admitted charges relating to indecent images of children and possession of an extreme pornographic image involving a horse.

Former Darton High head Simon Hill, 58, appeared at Derby Crown Court on Tuesday where he faced two counts relating to indecent images, all made between July 28 and October 30 2015.

Count one related to the making of 21 category C indecent images of young people aged under 16. Hill was also charged with possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a person performing a sex act on a horse. He entered a guilty plea to both counts and will be sentenced next week.

A Barnsley teacher who worked for Hill at Darton told the Chronicle: "He was weird. I always thought there was something strange about him but I never in a million years thought he'd have done something like this.

"As a head teacher you are in the ultimate position of trust. It puts into question the worth and effectiveness of the DBS criminal record check system if a head teacher can do that. It really is quite frightening. I can honestly say I am astounded and disgusted."

At the hearing on Tuesday Judge Jonathan Bennett ordered that a third count was to lie on file. This occurs when the presiding judge agrees there is enough evidence for a case to be made, but that it is not in the public interest for the prosecution to proceed. 

For the full story see the front page of this week's town edition of the Barnsley Chronicle, dated July 21, 2017.