A teacher at a private primary school known for having taught Royals has been jailed for four years over child sex offences involving girls as young as 10.

Richard Wilson, 44, had created fake profiles on TikTok and started speaking to seven different children aged between 10 and 15, asking them ‘are you horny?’ and using emojis and kisses, a court heard.

One 12-year-old victim was even groomed to perform a sex act for Wilson thinking he was a teenage boy in her area. She told the court she now feared ‘that her life would be a mess’.

Married father-of-one Wilson worked as a primary school teacher at St George’s School Windsor Castle, which has a history of educating young royals and rising musicians.

Princess Eugenie and Lady Louise Windsor attended the school, which has a heritage dating back to 1348 and teaches children aged three to 13. 

The offences did not relate to any behaviour at the school or it’s community, the court heard. 

As soon as the school was notified of Wilson’s crimes, he was immediately suspended from his role and permanently left the school’s employment in December 2024.

Jonathan Sank, prosecuting at Reading crown court yesterday, said Wilson had made ‘determined and persistent’ contact with the 12-year-old victim, who cannot be named to protect her anonymity, over ‘an extended period’ of two and a half months from July 2023 to October 2023. 

Richard Wilson, 44, was jailed for four years over child sex offences involving girls as young as 10

‘She was targeted [using] TikTok and Whatsapp’, Mr Sank said. 

‘The defendant used a false name, “Harry”. She told him she was 15, he said he was 15.

‘He was pretending he lived locally to her, to encourage her to engage in the conversation as she was in the hope of potentially making a connection with a teenage boy in her area.’ 

Wilson had sent a photograph of his genitalia to that victim and encouraged the victim to take a picture of her breast and perform a sex act on herself, the prosecutor said.

‘TikTok does not have a mechanism for sending digital media, so he moved communications over to WhatsApp. He was very persistent in that regard, he pursued that to ensure that it happened’, Mr Sank added. 

Once the chat moved to WhatsApp, the conversation became ‘sexualised’, with Wilson asking what the girl was wearing and suggesting she perform a sex act on herself so they could mutually ‘w**k together’, the court heard. 

‘He went into some detail as to what he meant by that, but she was 12 and innocent and explained she didn’t know what he meant’, Mr Sank told the judge.

‘He did not see this as an opportunity to desist, he continued and got her to perform sexual acts at his request.’ 

The victim sent a video of herself performing the act to Wilson but her parents later discovered the messages. 

They took her phone, blocked Wilson’s number and reported the matter to the police, the court heard. 

Married father-of-one Wilson worked as a primary school teacher at St George’s School Windsor Castle, which has a history of educating young royals and rising musicians

Wilson was arrested on February 7 2024 and gave a no comment interview. 

His phone was downloaded, revealing he had been speaking to six other victims, all in the 48 hours prior to his arrest. 

But because Wilson had disappearing messages switched on, it was possible there had been earlier messages, Mr Sank argued. 

Judge Jane Rowley said: ‘The reality is this may be only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the behaviour.’ 

The judge said the 12-year-old victim now had ‘fear and significant embarrassment’ over the incident. 

She also had to receive support and counselling and was worried ‘that her life will be a mess’. 

Wilson admitted seven counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child and one count of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity. 

Andrew Rose, defending, said that as a teacher Wilson had been a ‘well-liked and well-respected member of the faculty’, who took on significant roles within the school regarding fundraising for local charities like Thames Hospice. 

‘Having entered these guilty pleas, he was naturally sacked from the school and he has now lost a career he carefully cultivated for the last 18 years’, Mr Rose said. 

Mr Rose argued Wilson ‘has exhibited an unusual amount of remorse’, having voluntarily signed up to courses to address his behaviour, which stemmed from the fact he himself had been abused as a child, the barrister argued. 

Judge Rowley dismissed suggestions the offending could somehow be attributed to Wilson’s anxiety, stating: ‘A lot of people suffer from anxiety, they do not go on to commit sexual offences against children.’ 

Wilson was jailed yesterday at Reading Crown Court (pictured) 

Sentencing, Judge Rowley told Wilson he had a duty ‘to protect the very children you abused’, adding he showed a ‘cognitive dissonance regarding your offending and the choice of profession’. 

‘Working as a primary school teacher involves insight into the primacy of protecting children as a professional,’ Judge Rowley said. 

‘That background makes your offending alarming. You are a person with additional training and responsibility of safeguarding and child protection. 

‘You posses the intelligence, insight and understanding to appreciate the true impact of your offending on your young victims.’

Judge Rowley jailed Wilson, of Westborough Road in Maidenhead, for four years, made him subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and ordered him to sign the sex offenders register.

A spokesperson for St George’s School Windsor Castle said: ‘This is a deeply shocking crime. As soon as we were made aware of the police investigation, the school immediately suspended Wilson, ensured he had no further contact with students or access to the school site, and followed all safeguarding procedures in full. Our priority now is supporting the wellbeing of our students, families and staff.’