A former Suffolk headteacher has been banned from teaching for life after being convicted of making indecent images of children and possessing a paedophile manual and pornographic images.

Thomas Singleton, who lived at Framlingham and Stowmarket, was struck off by a professional conduct panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency, which regulates the teaching profession, after considering eight offences against him.

Singleton was convicted of eight charges by Suffolk Magistrates' Court in August 2022, which included possessing more than 20,000 indecent images of children found on electronic devices in the most serious level A category, 45,216 prohibited images of children and 52 extreme pornographic images.

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In addition, 21,539 images in the lower level B category were found, along with more than one million images in the lowest, level C, category.

Singleton - who was jailed for five years - was working at a Suffolk school, which cannot be named for legal reasons, and voluntarily resigned from this role in March 2021 after being arrested the month before.

The panel, sitting on August 2, found that Singleton was in breach of the teaching standards and that the offence of possessing indecent images of children was "clearly relevant" to teaching and working in an education setting.

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A report of the panel hearing said: "The panel also took account of the way the teaching profession is viewed by others.

"The panel considered that Mr Singleton's behaviour in committing these offences would 
undoubtedly affect public confidence in the teaching profession, particularly given the 
influence that teachers may have on pupils, parents and others in the community.

"His conduct ran counter to what should be at the very core of the practice of a headteacher 
and safeguarding lead, with a duty of care towards children."