Head warns of ‘internet evils’ as boy puts his own porn film on Facebook

A HEADMASTER has warned of the ‘evils of modern technology’ after a boy of 14 was arrested for making a pornographic film of himself and a schoolgirl and posting it on Facebook.

The footage was in common circulation and thought to have been viewed by thousands of pupils before it was removed from the site.

The boy was arrested and given a final warning by police – the juvenile equivalent of a caution – for making and distributing an indecent video.

The warning will stay on his record for six years.

No action was taken against the girl, although officers spoke to her and her parents. The boy, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, did not attend the same school as the girl, from the Forest of Dean. Head Lawrence

‘Lack of dignity and self-respect’

Montagu, from a different Gloucestershire school, warned parents about the footage – which was recorded at the beginning of last month – in a newsletter.

Mr Montagu, head of St Peter’s High, Gloucester, said: ‘ I know that the video has been viewed by students in St Peter’s and I have spoken to the school about the lack of dignity and self-respect people have who allow themselves to be portrayed in such a way.

‘ I alert you to this as I feel it would be profitable for you to follow up my messages to students by discussing with your sons and daughters how sad it is when people allow their dignity and selfrespect to be demeaned in any way and particularly for the amusement or titillation of other people.’

Mr Montagu, who was told about the film after a parent found their child watching it on a home computer, added: ‘It is very sad that our young people are exposed to such pornography, but as you are aware it is one of the evils of modern technology.

‘ We simply have to continue educating the young to reap the benefits that modern technology offers but not to fall into the trap of misusing it.’

‘We must try to persuade them that we should not want to be involved in listening to or looking at anything that portrays a lack of dignity and respect for other people.

Gloucestershire Constabulary’s schools unit said: ‘ The practice of posting compromising or even pornographic pictures on the internet is something that is happening with increasing frequency nationally.

‘The current proliferation of smartphones enables images to be taken and shared with ease.

‘As soon as they share a photograph with someone else, whether by MMS or by posting it on a social networking site, they lose control of that image, and while the image can be deleted, it could easily have been copied by any number of people.’

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Police said: ‘We received a report of a video being posted to a Facebook page of a consensual sexual act between a 14-year-old boy from Cheltenham and a 14-year-old girl from the Forest of Dean.

‘The video has now been removed from the website but we are aware that other children have seen the footage.’

The spokesman added: ‘ The 14year-old boy was arrested and given a final warning for making and distributing an indecent image.’