The paedophile school inspector..., by Simon Walters And Martin Beckfor, Mail Sunday (June 13, 2015)

The paedophile school inspector: Predator facing jail after downloading dozens of child abuse videos and grooming teenage boy online

A top schools inspector is facing jail for downloading dozens of child-abuse videos and grooming a teenage boy online, it can be revealed.

Adam Higgins was caught by police with almost 100 sick images of assaults on children on his home computer. They discovered he had also propositioned an under-15-year-old using a webcam.

After the 48-year-old pleaded guilty in court last week, education watchdog Ofsted contacted dozens of horrified headteachers to admit that a paedophile had visited their schools.

Among the schools he inspected was a £14,000-a-year prep school once attended by Prince Charles.

Last night, England's Chief Schools Inspector told The Mail on Sunday he was 'deeply shocked' by the case. Sir Michael Wilshaw said: 'I share the sense of revulsion at the thought that an individual trusted with improving the education of young people has behaved in this way.

Adam Higgins (pictured) was caught by police with almost 100 sick images of assaults on children on his home computer

'While the police have confirmed that there is no reason to believe any pupils at the schools he inspected were at risk during his inspection visits, we have liaised closely with the schools and local authority areas in which Mr Higgins worked and will continue to do so over any concerns that they may have.

'While this is a deeply shocking case and a matter of profound regret, we believe we did everything we could to check his background. It serves as a reminder of the need for continual vigilance when it comes to safeguarding children.'

A governor at one of the schools which was contacted by Ofsted last week added: 'I'm shocked, appalled and angry.

'It makes me sick that the people parents trust to go into their schools act like this. It has destroyed my trust in Ofsted.'

Higgins, who was paid £70,000 a year, is thought to be the most senior Ofsted inspector ever to have been convicted of child sex offences.

He had taught in schools for decades before becoming an inspector. In 2000 he was headmaster of St Paulinus Church of England primary school in Crayford, South-East London, then in charge of Lessness Heath primary school in Belvedere in Kent until 2007.

After the 48-year-old pleaded guilty in court last week, education watchdog Ofsted contacted dozens of horrified headteachers to admit that a paedophile had visited their schools

Ofsted's website claims he has 'extensive leadership experience' and has worked as an adviser for two London councils 'where he led on leadership development, school improvement, assessment and improving the quality of teaching'.

His online biography says he has 'significant experience of working with schools in challenging circumstances' and adds: 'Adam has been subject to enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service disclosures.'

Higgins has been an 'additional inspector' since 2004 and a full-time 'HMI' since 2013. During his time at Ofsted, he visited dozens of primary schools – including Hill House School in Knightsbridge, the prep school attended by Prince Charles. Pop star Lily Allen was also a pupil at the school.

Higgins and another inspector found that pupils at Hill House were at risk, writing in their report: 'The proprietors have not taken all of the required actions to ensure the necessary procedures are in place to keep pupils safe.'

Just months after he had visited the school, Higgins was arrested at his home in Saffron Walden, Essex. Police had been tipped off about Higgins's activities by the National Crime Agency.

After his arrest in September, Higgins was suspended on full pay by Ofsted but resigned in November before he could be disciplined.

He appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court last Monday and pleaded guilty to three child sex offences.

Case papers show that he admitted two counts of making indecent photographs of children.

On one count he admitted having downloaded from the internet 89 'movies' – 39 of which were of the worst type of sexual abuse, and in the second count he admitted having a single still photograph.

Higgins also admitted trying to 'incite a child under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity' between June 2013 and September 2014 – the period when he was working as a school inspector.

The day after his guilty plea, Ofsted wrote to the head teachers of all the schools that Higgins had previously inspected.

The letter was signed by Chief Operating Officer Matthew Coffey. Ofsted insisted that 'no concerns' had been identified when Higgins was interviewed for his job and that he had passed a vetting process as well as reference checks with previous employers.

The watchdog said it 'acted effectively' after hearing of his arrest and that since then it has 'comprehensively reviewed' all of his inspections and found 'no complaints' about him while he was visiting schools.