Christchurch man on UK offender register
A Christchurch music teacher placed on the British sex offender register is back home and seeking work as a pianist.
Jeremy Woodside, 29, was arrested in England in January on suspicion of trying to engage a child in sexual communication over the internet. He was issued with a formal police caution and required to sign the register for two years, the Derby Telegraph reported. To get a police caution in the United Kingdom, the behaviour must be admitted.
Woodside left his job as organist and accompanist at Derbyshire’s prestigious Repton School – where fees cost more than NZ$16,000 a term – during the police inquiry.
Derbyshire Detective Inspector Graham Prince told the Derby Telegraph the ‘‘thorough investigation’’ found no evidence Woodside committed offences against children in the county.
Woodside had left Britain, so relevant information was given to the local police where he now lived, Prince said.
Any Britain-based criminal background checks, which are required for anyone working with children, would flag the police caution to any prospective employer beyond the two years.
However, because Woodside was not convicted of a crime, he was not placed on the New Zealand sex offender register.
Canterbury district manager of the child sex offender register Kevin Holder said Woodside had been ‘‘upfront’’ and voluntarily came forward to police after arriving in the country, despite no legislation requiring him to do so. Holder would speak to Woodside to discuss what employment plans he had before deciding what preventive steps to take. ‘‘If he was seeking employment where I believed there was a danger to a certain group of people or a person, I can justify that I would contact the employer and tell them of my fears and the reasons why I would have that fear.’’
Based on what Woodside had been cautioned for, Holder said he wanted to speak to him for ‘‘preventative purposes’’.
Woodside declined to comment when contacted by Stuff, but confirmed he had moved back to Christchurch.