A deputy headteacher from a primary school in south Wales has been sentenced after attempting to solicit explicit images from someone he believed was a 14-year-old boy.

The Online Sting Operation

Anthony Moses, 48, from Oakfield, Cwmbran, engaged in online conversations on the FabGuys dating app on November 20, 2024. He messaged what he thought was an underage schoolboy, requesting ‘naughty pictures.’ Unbeknownst to him, the account was operated by police as a decoy.

Moses served as deputy headteacher at Durand Primary School in Caldicot, Monmouthshire. Cardiff Crown Court details revealed he was fully aware of the profile’s stated age of 14.

Court Proceedings and Verdict

Moses denied the charge of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. Following a trial in February, a jury found him guilty. On April 13, Judge Richard Kember sentenced him to a six-month prison term, suspended for 12 months.

The judge noted, ‘You asked the decoy, “You got any naughty pictures?” You sought and solicited images.’ Citing a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, the judge opted against immediate custody. Moses must complete 150 hours of unpaid community work, a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement, register as a sex offender for seven years, and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.

Moses submitted a letter of remorse to the judge during the hearing.

School and Council Response

The school promptly notified parents on the day of sentencing, stating: ‘I can confirm this matter is not related to any child connected to the school or the local community. As a school, as soon as we were made aware of the concern we worked with our statutory partners, the local authority and police in line with our safeguarding procedures.’

The letter added that Moses was absent from work prior to the concerns surfacing, and updates were withheld due to the ongoing police investigation and court process.

A Monmouthshire council spokesperson emphasized: ‘As a council and school the safeguarding and wellbeing of our pupils is our main priority. The school and local authority will follow due process now that the criminal process has been concluded.’