Police are investigating an allegation of historical sexual assault at a primary school where a foster carer, sentenced today for downloading indecent images of children, worked as a safeguarding officer.  

Gerrard Gibbs was a learning mentor at Roger Ascham Primary School in Wigton Road, Walthamstow, and a foster carer for Essex County Council.

He was arrested when his home in Sunnydene Avenue, Highams Park, was raided in April after intelligence from the National Crime Agency (NCA) suggested he had shared indecent images.  

Officers found 178 images of naked children as young as two on his computer. None of the children have been linked to his work.

The 59-year-old had worked with children for more than ten years and held the position of deputy safeguarding officer at Roger Ascham until his arrest. 

Gibbs pleaded guilty to all charges on September 15 and was today at Thames Magistrates’ Court sentenced to a supervision community order of 12 months and placed on the sex offender's register for five years. 

Police have today confirmed an allegation of historical sexual assault at Roger Ascham Primary School is being investigated, but no arrests have been made.  

Today in court, Chanchal Bhardwaj, prosecuting, said: "This case was clearly aggravated by the abuse of position of trust and the defendant had the responsibility of caring for a young vulnerable person at the time." 

Described by District Judge Ivor as previously being of "exemplary character", Gibbs told the Guardian outside the court:  “There may be hundreds of parents who are scared or upset for no reason but there is no cause to be fearful."

For more on this story, see next week's Guardian - out Thursday