Joseph Hart

Joseph Hart, a 34-year-old caretaker at Chorley New Road Primary School in Bolton, attempted to arrange sexual activity with a 12-year-old girl by contacting convicted paedophile Darren Leggett via text messages in early 2012. Hart, who lived in Horwich and was a married father of three, discovered Leggett on a website and initiated contact on 6 February 2012, proposing to pay £100 per hour for the girl's services. The arrangement was intercepted by police when Kent Police arrested Leggett on 10 February 2012, seizing his phone which contained the incriminating texts exchanged between 6 and 9 February.

Greater Manchester Police raided Hart's home on Green Lane, Horwich, in May 2012 following the interception. During the search, officers discovered 61 indecent images of children on his computer. Hart was immediately suspended from his position at the school by Bolton Council, which later confirmed that none of the charges related to his employment or workplace. Despite claiming he was attempting to entrap Leggett, a jury at Bolton Crown Court rejected this defence and found him guilty of arranging a child sex offence in November. Hart had admitted to six counts of making indecent images prior to the trial.

At sentencing on 27 January 2015, Judge Elliot Knopf described Hart's case as 'unique' and 'complex', noting his diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome and obsessive compulsive personality disorder, which contributed to his lack of understanding of the consequences of his actions. The judge highlighted that the arrangement with Leggett was in its 'embryonic form', with no venue agreed and limited discussions. Hart received a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, for the arranging offence, alongside a concurrent nine-month sentence for the indecent images. He was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and subjected to a five-year sexual offences prevention order.

Defence counsel Vanessa Thompson informed the court that Hart had lost his job, his family, and would never work for the council again. Hart arrived at court prepared for immediate imprisonment, carrying a suitcase. Meanwhile, Darren Leggett, the recipient of Hart's messages, had been jailed indefinitely in June 2012 for 31 counts of child sex abuse and remained in prison until at least 2019.

Source: The Bolton News, 27 January 2015. 'Your case is different and complex and in many respects unique,' Judge Knopf stated. Bolton Council emphasised Hart's swift suspension upon arrest.