Police apologise for Martin Goldberg scandal at Thorpe Hall

[weezypops]

http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/1151454 ... ry_school/

Essex Police has apologised to parents for not investigating a paedophile school teacher for nine months because they did not check his occupation.

Martin Goldberg, a 45-year-old former deputy headteacher at Thorpe Hall private school in Great Wakering, was found dead in his home just a day after police confronted him about possessing naked videos of boys.

However, it has emerged that despite being given this information in November 2013, Essex Police only assigned an officer to his case last month - and that is where they found he was a teacher at the £10,000 a year school.

Detectives are in the process of meeting with the families of the three children they believe they have identified and a letter from Assistant Chief Constable Maurice Mason has been sent to all the other families at the school.

Mr Mason said: “I am extremely grateful for the help that parents have given us so far with our investigation into Mr Goldberg.

“We are still working to establish the full facts regarding how we have dealt with the information we received about Mr Goldberg.

“Unfortunately this means we do not yet have all the answers but, whatever the reasons, the delay in dealing with Mr Goldberg’s case would have caused the families affected additional distress and I apologise for it.

“This matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission and we are awaiting their decision as to whether Essex Police involvement in this case will be independently investigated by them.

“While the investigation is continuing we are subject to restrictions on the depth of detail that we can disclose, however, I firmly believe that parents at the school and the wider community should be provided with as full an explanation as I can provide at this time.”

Mr Goldberg was found dead in his home in Dalwood, Shoebury, on September 10, just a day after cops started quizzing him about his actions.