Former head teacher intends to plead not guilty to child sex offence charges, court told

A former head teacher of a West Pinchbeck school intends to plead not guilty to three child sex offence charges a court has heard.

James Shawley (44) was meant to have entered a plea at Lincoln Crown Court today (Friday) on charges of sending messages of a sexual nature sent to a 14-year-old, attempting to incite a 14-year-old into a sexual act and arranging to meet a 14-year-old boy at a cinema in Huntingdon intending an offence.

However the court heard that due to a mix-up his defence solicitor Marion Smullen said the court had emailed them to say he did not need to attend.

She did tell the hearing that Shawley was set to plead not guilty to the charges.

A provisional trial date was set for January 4.

As part of the bail conditions magistrates at a previous hearing ordered Shawley not to have unsupervised contact with any person under the age of 18 and not to attend St Bartholomew’s Primary School in West Pinchbeck.

He has been ordered to remain at his stated address in Sheffield having previously given his address as Hereward Road in Bourne.