Court confiscates £10k from child sex offender who planned to flee with Wigan deputy headteacher

Julie Morris, the safeguarding lead at St George’s Central CE Primary School in Tyldesley, and partner David Morris were jailed in December for a series of sexual offences.

During a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court today, £10,000 found as the couple were arrested was confiscated and will be spent on policing.

Police executed a warrant at David Morris’ homes on Sandfield Road, Eccleston, St Helens, on September 2 and seized his phone, computer and other digital equipment.

He was arrested on suspicion of possession and distribution of indecent images of children, questioned by police and bailed with conditions.

The next day, police received information about David and Julie Morris committing sexual offences against a child. It was also reported they were planning to abscond.

Police officers found them at an address in Hindley, where they were arrested.

The couple had £10,000 in cash and their campervan was packed with their belongings.

David Morris, 52, was jailed for 16 years, plus four years on extended licence, and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. He must sign the sex offenders' register for life.

He had pleaded guilty to seven counts of rape of a child under 13, sexual activity with a child, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, sexual communications with a child, taking indecent photographs of a child, possession of indecent images of a child, distribution of indecent images of a child, possession of prohibited images of a child, possession of extreme pornographic images and voyeurism.

He was made subject to a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act today and ordered to pay the £10,000, which had been seized by police and will now be split between Merseyside Police and the Home Office.

Det Insp Lisa Milligan said: “Morris thought that he and Julie Morris could evade capture and avoid paying for their heinous crimes. They were wrong.

"Officers from Merseyside Police acted swiftly to detain the pair and seize this cash, and I’m pleased to say it will now be reinvested in policing, helping our officers continue to put offenders before the courts and protect vulnerable people in Merseyside from harm.”

She added “The offences committed by Julie and David Morris have had a devastating impact on the victims and their families, who continue to live with the psychological torment they both inflicted.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the victims who came forward and their families, whose help was vital in putting the offenders behind bars and protecting others from their offending.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the investigation team and all those officers involved in ensuring the attempts of David and Julie Morris to avoid justice were extremely short-lived.

“This case illustrates very clearly how committed our officers are to ensuring people who exploit children in any way are stopped and put before the courts.”

Any child or young person who is a victim of sexual abuse, or anyone who knows of a child being abused, is being urged to contact police on 101.