Teacher who had 100,000 indecent images of children walks free
A former teacher who admitted having almost 100,000 indecent images of children stored on computer memory sticks has been a spared a prison sentence.
Matthew Bullas, formerly a PE teacher at Dudley's Castle High School, downloaded photographs and videos from the internet during a "period of depression".
The 32-year-old, of Hamilton Drive, Stourbridge, was arrested by police at his previous address in Halesowen on November 16 last year and computer equipment was seized.
A total of 98,972 images in total were found by officers spread across five memory sticks.
Bullas, who was sacked from his job at the school, appeared for sentence at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday.
He was given a three-year community order with a requirement to attend the Internet Offenders Treatment Programme and given supervision.
Bullas, whose father is a retired police inspector and brother is also in the police, was also placed under a Sex Offender Prevention Order for 10 years and on the Sex Offenders Register for five years.
None of the images featured children at the school where he worked.
Miss Alka Brigue, prosecuting, said Bullas had complied with police following his arrest.
"The images were stored on memory sticks. This was so no-one could access them and also that no-one could find his collection," she said.
Mr Danny Smith, defending, said his client was of previous good character.
"He had suffered a breakdown in his life which had vortexed into debt and depression," he said.
"He had suffered the loss of a relationship and his grandparents and could not deal with this emotional burden.
"This is when the offending started. He has been frank with his friends and family about what has happened which has not been easy.
"He has lost many of his friends who are teachers and his father is a recently retired police inspector and his brother is in the police."
Mr Smith said Bullas was now working as a courier for a car company.
Judge Michael Dudley said: "It is my duty to protect the public and in this case I think the public would be better protected by giving you a community order in this case.
"These offences are serious. For these images to be made a real child has been abused."
