Former Norfolk football coach who had 159 child sex victims

Jonathan Clarke, 32, a supervisor at Thorpe St Andrew High School, created a false profile on a number of social media accounts, presenting himself as two teenage boys to chat with his victims and engage them in sexual activity.

Clarke, who also worked as a football coach with Soccer Stars at a number of Norfolk infant and primary schools, would get victims to commit the acts of sexual activity online.

He also threatened to expose some of them for what they had done or harm their families if they did not do as he asked.

In all, Clarke admitted 54 charges spanning more than a decade and asked for a further 127 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

There were a total of 159 victims, all under 16, 

His offences, carried out between 2010 and 2022, included the making of indecent images, sexual communications with a child, inciting children to engage in sexual acts, voyeurism, and blackmail.

Norwich Crown Court heard Clarke was arrested on January 6 this year following a police investigation into social media messages where victims were encouraged to send nude images.

It came after concerns were raised to the safeguarding lead at the Thorpe school about someone purporting to be a child online.

The victim had been contacted by the defendant via social media and asked to take their clothes off, exposing their breast and genital area.

Detectives from the specialist Safeguarding Children Online Team (SCOLT) carried out enquiries into the communications and obtained an IP address linked to Clarke’s home.

Clarke was arrested and a search carried out at his former address in Highview Close, Blofield, where officers seized 14 electronic devices including eight laptops.

Police initially found around 200 indecent images ranging from Category A, the most serious, to Category C.

A total of 5,017 indecent images and videos of children were ultimately found.

Clarke appeared at court on Friday (December 9) for sentencing during which Marc Brown, prosecuting, read out statements from some of the victims and their families.

The mother of one victim, who described Clarke as a "predatory monster", said she felt she had "failed" her child as a result of what they were subjected to.

She said what Clarke did to her child would affect them for the rest of their life.

One victim described how they were “shocked and disgusted” when they learnt the ‘boy’ they’d been chatting to online was a man.

Another victim described what happened as "terrible" and added it had affected both their confidence and trust in people.

Passing an extended sentence of 27 years - made up of 19 years imprisonment and eight years on licence - Judge Alice Robinson said Clarke had committed a "catalogue of online sexual abuse of children".

Judge Robinson said the impact of this offending has caused "serious psychological harm" to his victims.

Judge Robinson praised police for their work in this "difficult and distressing case" during which his "depravity has been revealed".

Michael Clare, mitigating, said Clarke was entitled to full credit for his guilty pleas.

At the time of his arrest, Clarke worked at Thorpe St Andrew High School as a lettings assistant and cover supervisor.

He also worked for Soccer Stars, a company which operated after-school clubs.

Through Soccer Stars contracts, he taught PE lessons at Lingwood Primary School and after-school football clubs at Brundall Primary and Lionwood Infant and Nursery School.

Clarke also coached teams at Blofield United Youth Football Club.

When the allegations first came to light, Clarke was immediately suspended from all roles and was later dismissed. 

Speaking after the case, Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Dave McCormack described Clarke's offending as "horrendous ".

He said: "Clarke was predatory and manipulative in his offending and it’s pleasing he’s behind bars where he can no longer pose a danger to children.

“This result wouldn’t have been possible without the support of victims, their parents and the schools and football club who have provided unwavering support to make sure we get the right result for victims."

Clarke was put on the sex offenders register for life. 

Anyone who has concerns about someone online can report it to police by calling 101.

The NSPCC also operates helplines and anyone who has concerns about a child’s safety should email help@nspcc.org.uk or call 0808 800 5000.