Christopher Shepherd, 39, an English teacher at E-ACT Willenhall Academy, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to multiple counts of making and possessing indecent images of children covering April 2023 to January 2025. He was dismissed from his post and referred to the Teacher Regulation Agency, which found his conduct "fundamentally incompatible" with teaching and barred him from all teaching roles in England. Shepherd received a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years, 20 days of rehabilitation activity, was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Teacher Permanently Barred After Guilty Plea Over Indecent Images of Children
Former English teacher Christopher Shepherd worked at Willenhall E-ACT Academy before his dismissal and lifetime teaching ban [Google]
Christopher Shepherd, 39, has been permanently barred from teaching after admitting criminal offences related to indecent images of children.
Investigation and Charges
Shepherd was employed as an English teacher at E-ACT Willenhall Academy in the West Midlands and was arrested on 15 January 2025, four months after starting the role. In October 2025 at Cannock Magistrates' Court, he pleaded guilty to two counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children relating to activity between 24 April 2023 and 15 January 2025 in Wolverhampton. He also admitted three counts of possessing indecent images of children and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving an animal covering the same period.
Legal Meaning of "Making"
The Crown Prosecution Service notes that the term "making" an indecent image is legally broad and can include actions such as opening an email attachment, downloading an image from a website, or receiving an image via social media.
Employment and Regulatory Outcome
Following his arrest Shepherd was dismissed by E-ACT Willenhall Academy and the case was referred to the Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA). A TRA panel found his conduct to be "fundamentally incompatible" with the role of a teacher and concluded he had breached the professional standards relating to treating pupils with dignity and safeguarding their wellbeing. The panel barred him from teaching in any school, sixth-form college, youth accommodation or children's home in England.
Sentence and Orders
After his guilty plea Shepherd was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 20 days of rehabilitation activity. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Panel Findings on Remorse
During a private TRA hearing the panel heard there was no demonstrable evidence of remorse beyond an email in which Shepherd said he was "deeply devastated that this has happened" and that he was "sorry." The TRA emphasised that possession and access to indecent material involving children is incompatible with the duty of care teachers owe to their pupils.
Note: The Teacher Regulation Agency's decision reflects the seriousness with which safeguarding breaches and sexual offences involving children are treated within the education profession.
Help us improve.
