Deputy headteacher in court charged with 18 child sex abuse offences

Julie Morris taught maths and RE at primary school in Wigan

St George’s Central Church of England Primary School, Wigan (Google)

A deputy headteacher has appeared in court charged with 18 child sex abuse offences, including two counts of rape.

Julie Morris cried as she appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via videolink from prison.

The 44-year-old worked at St George's Central Church of England Primary School in Wigan for around 10 years, although the charges are not related to her employment.

Her co-accused, David Morris – who is no relation – admitted 34 offences during the same hearing on Friday.

The 52-year-old also appeared via videolink. He will be sentenced on 22 December, when Ms Morris will be required to enter a plea.

Ms Morris, of Ancroft Drive in Hindley, Greater Manchester, is accused of two counts of rape, nine counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, three counts of taking an indecent photo of a child, and one count of possessing indecent photos of a child.

She is also charged with one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child and two counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

The offences are alleged to have taken place in Eccleston in Merseyside between 2018 and this year.

Parents of children at St George’s, where Morris taught maths and RE, were told of them last month in a letter from the headteacher Mark Grogan. She has been suspended from her role.

Mr Morris, of Sandfield Road, Eccleston, admitted seven counts of rape, 13 counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and two counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

He also pleaded guilty to taking indecent images, of categories A, B and C, possessing and distributing indecent images and two counts of engaging in sexual communications with a child.

He also admitted three counts of voyeurism, possession of an extreme pornographic image and possession of a prohibited image of a child.

Parents were told of the alleged offences last month in a letter from the headteacher Mark Grogan.