Deputy headteacher exposed as sex offender in police sting

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

A deputy headteacher has been exposed as a sex offender who asked a “14-year-old” schoolboy to send him “naughty pictures” online.

Anthony Moses thought he was messaging an under-age child in online conversations on gay dating site FabGuys before switching to Snapchat but had in fact been caught out by an undercover police officer posing as a young teenager.

It can now be revealed Moses, who was spared an immediate custodial sentence, is the deputy headteacher at a primary school near Newport.

The 48-year-old, of East Road, Oakfield in Cwmbran, is deputy headteacher at Durand Primary School in Caldicot.

The school has written to parents to say they “may become aware of information in the public domain regarding our Deputy Headteacher, Anthony Moses”.

Moses was sentenced on Monday, April 13, and given a six month jail term suspended for 12 months. The school released its message to parents later the same day.

Moses’ offending took place on a single day, November 20, 2024.

The school’s letter said: “I can confirm that this matter is not related to any child connected to the school or the local community.”

Moses had denied the charge of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child but was convicted, following a trial in February this year before appearing for sentence at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday.

The school’s letter to parents said: “As a school, as soon as we were made aware of the concern we worked with our statutory partners, the Local Authority and Police in line with our safeguarding procedures.

“Until this time, we have not been able to share any updates due to this being a confidential matter involving a live Police investigation and court process. Anthony Moses was not in work at the time of these concerns being raised, due to a prior period of absence.

Monmouthshire County Council confirmed Moses wasn’t in work at the time of the offences and the offences do not relate to any child connected to the school or the local community.

The council said: “As a council and school, the safeguarding and well-being of our pupils is our main priority.

“The school and local authority will follow due process now that the criminal process has been concluded. “

According to the South Wales Argus the sentencing hearing was told Moses had written a “letter of remorse” to Judge Richard Kember.

Judge Kember said to the defendant that he knew the “boy” was aged just 14 years old.

He added: “You asked the decoy, ‘You got any naughty pictures?’

“You sought and solicited images.”

Rehabilitation

He told him he would spare him an immediate prison sentence because he believed there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation”.

The defendant must carry out 150 hours of unpaid work in the community and complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He will have to register as a sex offender for the next seven years and he was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same period of time.

A statutory victim surcharge will also have to be paid.