A “prolific internet paedophile” and former Tufnell Park teacher who took crystal meth and cocaine while live streaming child abuse videos was jailed for two years and four months yesterday.

Paul Newbury, of Princes Avenue, a former associate headteacher at Acland Burghley, was jailed at Southwark Crown Court after he admitted to making and possessing indecent images of children and possessing 717 milligrams of cocaine, and 197 grams of methylamphetamine hydrochloride in March.

Undercover officers infiltrated the chat rooms he used to view child abuse images in October 2017, while he was still at Acland Burghley, and filmed Newbury sitting naked on his sofa smoking drugs as he watched a live video of a girl aged about eight being abused.

Newbury was also a member of several closed paedophile groups on a secure messaging app, where he discussed and exchanged child abuse material with hundreds of other members worldwide. He invited fellow paedophiles to join obscene groups with names such as "Love Boys".

He was still teaching at the Burghley Road school, on the Camden side of Tufnell Park, when all the illegal activity took place - but none of the offences were connected to his job.

Russell Tyner, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) specialist prosecutor, said: "Paul Newbury was an active and prolific member of a global network of internet paedophiles committed to sharing live images of children being sexually abused.

"Some of these videos featured very young and vulnerable children in visible distress, which Newbury then shared widely for the twisted gratification of himself and others.

"The fact he helped fuel this industry while working as a teacher only adds to the grotesque and aggravated nature of the offence.

"As well as seeing Newbury jailed, the CPS today sought a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to ensure the clear threat he poses to children is minimised on his release."

In total, 1,246 indecent images of children were recovered from his devices - 492 of which were classified under the most serious Category A.