A former headteacher in Yorkshire has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for child sex abuse offences, described by the judge as the actions of a 'highly dangerous predatory paedophile'. Duggie Speight, aged 44, admitted to sexually abusing a teenage boy and secretly recording young boys naked in a changing room at a swimming pool. The case came to light after the victim disclosed the abuse following an overdose incident.
Bradford Crown Court heard that Speight, who was head of a school in Yorkshire, exploited his position of authority to groom the teenage boy. During the COVID-19 lockdown, Speight befriended the boy's family and offered to provide tutoring. He invited the boy to his flat, where the abuse occurred. Prosecutor Tom Storey detailed how Speight gave the boy alcohol, took him on shopping trips, and bought him expensive presents including clothes and a laptop to manipulate and gain his trust.
The abuse was uncovered in April when, after one such shopping trip, the boy took an overdose and was hospitalised. While recovering, he confided in a friend about the sexual abuse, who informed their parents. They promptly contacted the police. When initially interviewed, Speight denied the allegations. However, a search of his home revealed mobile phones and a tablet hidden behind a wall. The devices contained footage captured by a hidden camera of Speight having sex with the teenager, as well as a video of young boys changing at a swimming pool.
Passing sentence, Judge Richard Mansell QC highlighted the severity of Speight's actions. 'Your public persona hid a very dark secret, that you are a highly dangerous, predatory, manipulative paedophile,' the judge stated. He noted that Speight had used his position of trust to 'cynically manipulate' the boy and his family, placing the offending in the highest category of harm. The judge emphasised the lifelong mental scars the victim would endure.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the boy's mother expressed the devastating impact of Speight's crimes. 'He used my friendship and trust and twisted it,' she said. 'He stole my son's innocence and we can never get it back.' She added that Speight had 'destroyed my happy family life'. The court also heard from the mother of one of the boys filmed in the changing room, who said Speight had 'stolen my son's innocence'.
Speight received a 12-year custodial sentence, with an extended licence period of eight years. The case was handled at Bradford Crown Court, with evidence gathered by West Yorkshire Police following the family's report.