A former deputy head teacher at a school once attended by Prince George and Princess Charlotte is facing many years behind bars after admitting 22 child sex offences.
Matthew Smith, 34, from East Dulwich, was raided by the National Crime Agency when investigators discovered he was sharing abuse material on the dark web.
At the time of his arrest last November, Smith was caught online speaking to a teenage boy living in India.
He had asked him to send sexual images of a younger child in return for money, Southwark Crown Court heard.
Smith also had dark web forums dedicated to child sexual abuse open on his computer.
Detectives studied those chat logs and financial transactions to establish Smith paid £65,398 to that same teenager, and another also based in India, to abuse children over a five-year period.
Smith was living in Nepal and working at a school for the majority of this time.
Prior to this, he spent various periods working in orphanages across India between 2007 and 2014.
Smith moved back to the UK in July 2022 and two months later began working as deputy head and was in charge of pastoral care at Thomas’ prep school in Battersea.
None of the charges related to his time at the primary the two young royals left when they relocated to Windsor with the Prince and Princess of Wales in August.
Officers recovered over 120,000 indecent images of children Smith saved on a laptop, SD card and on his mobile.
There is no evidence to suggest he committed offences against children based in Nepal or the UK.
Smith pleaded guilty to an initial five offences in November 2022.
Last month, he was charged with a further 17 counts, including encouraging the rape of a child under 13, causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and arranging the sexual abuse of a child.
On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to the additional crimes and will be sentenced at the same court on August 4.
A spokesperson for Thomas’s Battersea said: “We have been shocked and appalled beyond measure by this matter and are grateful for the work of the police and courts in bringing this man to account.
“Mr Smith’s employment at the school, which commenced in September 2022, was terminated with immediate effect when the school first learned of the charges against him in November.“While the National Crime Agency has confirmed that none of the matters under investigation related to the school or its pupils, these deplorable actions constitute an unforgivable breach of trust and our thoughts are with those who have been impacted or damaged by them.
“As always, we remain absolutely committed to the ongoing safety and wellbeing of our pupils and our whole school community.”
Helen Dore, an NCA senior officer, said: “Matthew Smith was a high risk individual and we moved quickly to locate, arrest and remand him so he could no longer pose a threat to children.
“Ultimately, we were able to prove that he was a prolific offender who manipulated young men to sexually abuse children on his behalf, giving them detailed instructions and financial reward.
“While conducting his offending, Smith worked at a school in Nepal, then became a deputy head teacher and head of pastoral care in the UK, so his offending is a deep betrayal of the trust placed in him.
“The NCA is dedicated to operating online and overseas, working with global partners to ensure that children are safeguarded and offenders like Smith are brought to justice.”
Specialist prosecutor Claire Brinton, of the Crown Prosecution Service’s organised child sexual abuse unit, added: “Matthew Smith’s crimes are particularly disturbing given his role as a primary school teacher entrusted with the responsibility of caring for and safeguarding children.
“This conviction sends a clear message that the CPS, working alongside the NCA and international partners, will work to bring to justice to those who sexually abuse and exploit children, wherever that abuse takes place.”
