Teacher Exposed as Child Predator: Created Disturbing Abuse Images and Gave Sickening Instructions

Richard Leighfield, a teacher, has been banned from the profession after delivering grotesque sexual instructions to a supposed schoolgirl and producing horrific child abuse images. This paedophile initiated sexual conversations online, believing he was communicating with a child, and made disturbing demands.

Police discovered sickening indecent images of children hidden on his phone when they caught him. A professional conduct panel from the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) ruled that Leighfield's actions violated teaching standards and constituted serious misconduct.

Leighfield pleaded guilty to multiple charges: one count of attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity; three counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child; one count of possessing prohibited images of a child; and one count of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

He worked at Northwick Manor Primary School in Worcester. Previously residing in Home Meadow, Worcester, Leighfield received a 30-month sentence at Worcester Crown Court in January 2023. He is also subject to a sexual harm prevention order and must remain on the sex offenders register for life.

The panel's report stated that Leighfield's actions were relevant to teaching and working with children, as they involved serious sexual offences against children or someone he believed to be a child. Although no evidence indicated that any child involved was a pupil he taught, they were of school age.

Leighfield served as a year five class teacher at Northwick Manor Primary School starting in September 2012. On August 22, 2024, police informed the school of his arrest. He was suspended on August 27 and dismissed following a disciplinary hearing on December 11.

Now 55, Leighfield did not provide any mitigation during the proceedings. The panel noted that he had no prior misconduct or disciplinary actions on his record at the school.

The report highlighted that while Leighfield made full admissions, he failed to explain his conduct or demonstrate an understanding of its impact. There was no evidence of rehabilitation, leaving the panel without assurance that he would not repeat his actions.

In his job application, Leighfield claimed to have worked as a teacher since 1994 and mentioned being promoted to assistant headteacher at a previous school.

At the TRA hearing in May 2026, he was issued a prohibition order, permanently banning him from teaching. He is barred from any school, sixth-form college, relevant youth accommodation, or children's home in England.

West Mercia Police reported that Leighfield was arrested in August 2024 after initiating sexual conversations with an online profile posing as a 13-year-old girl. During these exchanges, which occurred between July 30 and August 20, he instructed the 'girl' to perform sexual acts on herself and encouraged her to engage in sexual activities.

Upon his arrest, police found indecent images he had created hidden on his phone. These included one category A image—the highest severity—eight category B images, and ten category C photographs or pseudo-photographs of children.

Detective Constable Giuseppe Saladino from the online child sexual exploitation team stated that Leighfield exhibited predatory behavior towards children and was responsible for creating horrific images. He emphasized that while Leighfield's behavior was intercepted by an online child profile, it did not diminish the seriousness of his offenses.