A former Bexley primary school headteacher - who taught in the borough for over 10 years - has been jailed for child sex offences.

Adam Higgins, 48, from Saffron Walden, Essex, joined the staff of Birkbeck Primary School, Sidcup, in 1996, moved to St Paulinus Primary School, Crayford, in 2000 and later taught at Lessness Heath Primary School, Belvedere, until 2007.

Last month he pleaded guilty to three child sex offences - two counts of making indecent photographs of children and one of trying to incite a boy aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity.

He was sentenced to two years in prison at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday (July 8).

Higgins was also put on the sex offenders register indefinitely and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

Billy Hunt, 28, was around 10 years old when he was taught by Higgins at Birkbeck Primary School.

He told News Shopper: "When I found out I was just speechless. I was shocked and suprised that he would do something like that.

"I remember him being a family man - he talked about his family quite a lot - when I saw the article I was like 'oh my God'.

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"He was quite a friendly teacher. On Friday he used to play guitar and sing hymns - he sang Kumbaya and Simon and Garfunkel songs.

"I don't remember him doing anything like that - obviously that is the kind of thing you'd remember."

Mr Hunt, an aspiring singer-songwriter, said Higgins was part of the reason he took up guitar.

He added: "I'm a singer-songwriter myself and I looked up to him.

"He's not the main reason I am playing guitar but he had an influence.

"It came as a shock to me. It angered me. It made me sick.

"I am relieved he has been jailed and that something has been done about it."

A spokeswoman for Bexley Council said: "The safety of our children and young people is always our main priority.

"Mr Higgins was last employed in the borough nearly five years ago.

"He was subject to the usual rigorous safeguarding checks and no accusations were ever made towards him during his time in Bexley.

"These offences took place after the period of time when Adam Higgins worked in Bexley.

"We have contacted all our schools and asked them to make contact with a named officer in our safeguarding team if they or parents and carers have any concerns."

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Higgins more recently worked for Ofsted as a schools inspector but resigned after his arrest in September last year.

After the sentencing, Det Insp Daniel Stoten, of Essex Police, said: "I welcome the fact that from today, thanks to the hard work and dedication of my officers, Higgins will be behind bars where he belongs.

"This man held a position of trust which makes the fact that he was making indecent images of children and grooming a young boy online even more despicable.

"Thankfully our investigations have uncovered no other fresh information to suggest any other offences by Higgins other than those he has been charged with.

"The protection of children remains of utmost priority for Essex Police and we would continue to encourage anyone with information about individuals involved in any form of child abuse to report it to us via 101 or 999."