Peter Allot, a politics teacher at private St Benedict’s school, was arrested on Monday (7 December) by the National Crime Agency, which investigates the most serious crimes in the UK.

Allot, 39, was charged with possessing, showing and making indecent images of children as well as possessing extreme pornography yesterday (December 8).

The former Tory councillor has been a teacher at St Benedict’s since 2004.

He left for a year in 2011 to work as a research associate for a project on the Prime Minister's "Big Society" initiative and Catholic social teaching at Cambridge University.

He returned to the West London school to take up a position as deputy head master of the senior school in 2012.

It is not believed that any of the charges involve former or current pupils at the school – which teaches girls and boys aged 3-18.

The school has previously apologised for a "terrible legacy" of sex abuse.

In 2011 it was revealed that St Benedict's, then run by Ealing Abbey monks, was linked to 21 sexual attacks dating back to 1970.

Father David Pearce, the former head of the junior school, was jailed for eight years in 2009 after he was convicted for of abusing five boys over 36 years.
Four victims were under 14.

Wanted priest, Father Lawrence Soper, has been missing since allegations he had also abused pupils emerged.

A spokesperson for St. Benedict's School told EalingToday.co.uk: "As a result of these charges Mr Allott will be suspended from his duties and instructed to avoid contact with anyone from the school."

The independent school counts actor Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in the Lord of The Rings, Julian Clary and Lord Chris Patten, former BBC chief amongst its alumni.