By Oxford tutor suspended over indecent photographs
Peter King, a philosophy tutor at Oxford University has been suspended over indecent photographs. He pleaded guilty to three counts of producing indecent photographs of a child between 2010 and 2018. His suspension is effective immediately and is pending disciplinary proceedings.
It is claimed that King produced thousands of these images.
He also admitted to one other charge of possession of a prohibited image of a child.
King’s defence lawyer has declined to comment.
While Oxford University have declined to comment, Pembroke College’s academic director Nancy Braithwaite has issued a statement and email to its philosophy students:
“Peter King has been suspended from College, pending disciplinary proceedings. The College has immediately put in place welfare and academic support for its students and staff.”
“This will come as a shock and my concern now is to ensure that you receive any support that you might need.”
“I am sorry to have to relay such distressing news. This will be a difficult time for our community and we must do everything we can to support each other.”
One of King’s students has said:
“I never felt uncomfortable or nervous around him which is why it was so much of a shock for me to realise that someone I admired and respected could do such a disgusting and horrible thing.”
Despite claims of shock by those who know King professionally, in 2008 he produced a controversial paper on the possibility of a “morally acceptable form of child pornography.” It was titled No plaything: Ethical Issues Concerning Child Pornography, and published by scientific journal publisher Springer. King claimed that:
“Child pornography is a more complex matter (than adult pornography), and that generally accepted moral judgements concerning pornography in general have to be revised when children are involved.”
“I look at the question of harm to the children involved, the consumers, and society in general, at the question of blame, and at the possibility of a morally acceptable form of child-pornography.”
It is understood that staff at Pembroke were unaware of any police investigation until he notified them last week of his imminent appearance in court.
Peter King appeared at Oxford crown court last week, and will be sentenced on March 19th. It is not known whether the suspension status of the Oxford tutor is expected to change once he is charged over the indecent photographs.
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