Toby Haslam (Image: North Wales Police)
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A man who worked at a Wrexham school has been sentenced to six years in prison after admitting grooming and sexually abusing one of the pupils.
Toby Haslam, 30, of Old Newcastle Road, Willaston, was sentenced at Mold Crown Court on April 15.
The charges
Haslam had previously pleaded guilty to nine offences in total. These comprised seven counts of sexual activity with a child – two of which were penetrative – a single count of engaging in sexual communication with a child, and one count of possessing an indecent photograph of a child.
How the abuse came to light
The case first came to the attention of North Wales Police in 2024, when a report was made that Haslam had been grooming a pupil at the school where he worked and had taken the girl to his home, where she was sexually assaulted. The victim had come forward after returning to school following the summer break, confiding in a member of the teaching staff about what had been happening.
The investigation
Detectives established that Haslam had been in contact with the child through social media, and that these conversations had become sexual in nature. He had also been buying her multiple gifts during the course of the grooming. A subsequent examination of his phone uncovered indecent images of a child.
Sentencing and protective orders
Alongside his six-year prison sentence, Haslam was handed a ten-year restraining order to protect the victim, as well as a ten-year sexual harm prevention order. He must also register with police indefinitely.
Police response
Investigating officer Detective Constable James Grimwood, of the Vulnerable Persons Unit, said: “The victim in this case has been courageous throughout the police investigation.
“She was a vulnerable schoolgirl who had sought support from a member of teaching staff. By virtue of Haslam’s job title, he held a position of trust over her and abused his position of trust for his own sexual gratification.
“He has shown no signs of remorse throughout the investigation. The court outcome today reflects the seriousness of this incident, and I hope that this offers a level of closure for the victim.
“If any other person has been a victim of a sexual offence, I urge them to report this to North Wales Police.”
