Popular Philosophy Schoolteacher Caught With Child Abuse Images

Swift Exit: McStraw

A popular schoolteacher’s career is in ruins after he was caught with images of online child abuse during a police raid at his home address.

Philosophy teacher Richard McStraw, 30, also chatted on teen websites and investigators found multiple searches on his laptop for sexually-explicit images of young girls.

Jobless McStraw, of Beckenham Road, Bromley pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a total of 65 Category B and C images.

He received six months imprisonment, suspended for twelve months.

He taught at Bromley’s Ravensbourne School, a mixed secondary comprehensive of 1500 pupils.

Online tributes from children he taught remain online and include: “We miss him, wherever he may be. Gone too soon,” and simply: “Legend.”

Croydon Crown Court heard officers executed a search warrant on January 25, last year and found sick online images of girls as young as seven years-old being subject to adult sexual abuse.  

McStraw, who claims he had just come out of an 18-month relationship and was depressed, had been searching for young girls online from August 19, 2013.

He typed in such search terms as: ‘young teen underwear,’ ‘young teen modelling,’ ‘underage girls,’ ‘exploited teens’, ‘black teen sex,’ ‘young black girl,’ ‘naughty teen’ ‘naughty schoolgirl’ and ‘underage teen slut.’

His lawyer Mr. Robert Newcombe told the court: “He’s never going to be a teacher again. He’s lost his job and career.

“It was a career he enjoyed and one that gave him satisfaction. He had a lot of responsibility in the role.

“It’s going to be difficult for him to get a job with this conviction. He is a man well-liked by his friends who describe him as reliable and trustworthy.

“He was single and going through a bad patch. His new girlfriend has stood with him.

Going, Going, Gone: McStraw

“They have plans for a family and he hopes he can put this sorry episode behind him.

“In his teaching career there is no allegation he has acted improperly towards children in his care.”

Recorder James Dawson said: “These are actual children being forced or coerced to do these acts and it is done so that people like you can look at them.

“It seems you ended a relationship of eighteen months and were particularly lonely and isolated at the time.”

McStraw was also ordered to complete a 25-day rehabilitation requirement. “That is to address your sexual problems,” the Recorder told him.

He was also made subject to a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order restricting his internet use, was placed on the sex offenders register and must complete 150 hours community service work.