David Drury was jailed for nine years, and Daniel Sellers for four and a half years
David Drury, left, and Daniel Sellers(Image: Hull Live )
A perverted police communications chief was “aided and abetted” by a teacher when he committed “horrendous” and “grotesque” sexual offences against a boy. Ex-Humberside Police employee David Drury was helped and encouraged by a school’s head of drama, Daniel Sellers, in “shameful” behaviour that included Drury distributing indecent images of children, Hull Crown Court heard.
Drury, 40, of Thoresby Street, off Princes Avenue, west Hull, admitted two offences of sexual assault, one offence of sexual assault of a child under 13, voyeurism and six offences of distributing indecent images of children. His boyfriend, Sellers, 44, also of Thoresby Street, admitted arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence and two charges of aiding and abetting offences of sexual assault.
Eleanor Durdy, prosecuting, said that, at the time of the offending, Drury was working as head of corporate communications for Humberside Police and Sellers was head of drama at an East Yorkshire school. They began a relationship in late 2010 and early 2011.
Gwent Police contacted Humberside Police after Drury had, on three occasions, bought – using an Amazon voucher – a total of more than 400 indecent images of children from another man. There were conversations between them about sexual activity involving children.
Drury was arrested but he claimed: “I have not done any of that.” He admitted liking “dirty chat” but he denied having any sexual interest in children. He denied buying indecent images of children and claimed that he could not remember sending anyone an Amazon voucher.
He claimed that his Amazon account had been hacked. His devices were seized and there were exchanges of indecent images between Drury and other users.
A video of a teenage boy engaged in sexual activity was found along with other images of him. They had been sent to the man arrested by Gwent Police.
There were messages between Drury and Sellers including conversations about images of the sexual abuse of children. They were about “what they would like to do and had done” to the boy as well as their “sexual desires”.
Both men were arrested from their home. Further devices belonging to both of them were seized. Drury had intimately touched the boy.
“This was deliberate sexual touching,” said Miss Durdy. Police found 28 indecent images, including six videos, of the boy on a device. They included three in the most serious Category A, one in Category B and 24 in Category C. Images of other children were distributed by Drury.
David Godfrey, mitigating, said that there was no escaping from the offences being “horrendous” and “grotesque” but Drury pleaded guilty instead of “chancing his arm” during a trial. “It’s truly shameful stuff,” said Mr Godfrey.
“It’s some of the darkest material you could imagine. He accepts it.” Drury had expressed remorse. “It feels genuine,” said Mr Godfrey.
“He wishes me to say sorry on his behalf. It needs to be said and he wants me to say it on his behalf. This is somebody who entered a period of darkness in his 30s.
“He wants to understand why he did what he did and he wants to work with the agencies.” Drury had no previous convictions and he had lost his employment.
Julia Baggs, representing Sellers, said that he understood that it was “serious and deeply unpleasant behaviour” and he had lost his career. “He is deeply remorseful and he understands the impact,” said Miss Baggs.
“He has voluntarily desisted from his drug use.” Sellars had no previous convictions and he had sought talking therapy and counselling to assist in moving beyond his offending behaviour. “He has never been in custody before,” said Miss Baggs.
Drury was jailed for nine years and Sellers was jailed for four-and-a-half years. Drury was given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and a seven-year restraining order. Sellers was given a five-year restraining order.
They must each register as a sex offender indefinitely. Both men had been on bail until being jailed.
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