Your Oxford
Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting 'OXFORD NEWS' to 80360 or email »
Ex-teacher: Pills made me a pervert
8:46am Saturday 19th July 2008
A former deputy headteacher admitted a string of child pornography offences - but blamed his medication for giving him "inappropriate" urges.
Phillip Carmichael, 58, a former teacher at Wantage County Primary School, yesterday admitted having more than 7,000 indecent images of children on his computer.
Carmichael, of Adkin Way, Wantage, pleaded guilty at Oxford Crown Court to seven counts of making indecent photographs - ranging from the least serious level one, to the second most serious level four.
A former part-time music teacher at St Nicholas C of E Primary School in East Challow, Carmichael, who suffers from Parkinson's and Graves' Disease, also admitted four counts of possessing indecent pictures of children, totalling 7,466 images.
Peter Coombe, prosecuting, said: "There is a basis of plea put forward by the defence.
"The suggestion is the medication Mr Carmichael took was such that it caused certain side-effects, one of them is called hypersexuality.
"This can take the form of inappropriate or irresistible increases in desire for sex or intense sexual urges which are repetitive."
Mr Coombe told the court it was well-documented that Carmichael's medication could cause hypersexuality.
But he added: "What is not so well established is it would take the form of an interest in young children.
"We are in, to an extent, unknown territory as to whether the medication has created this behaviour or whether he had a predisposition to this."
Roger Harrison, defending, said the drug in question was called Dopamine Agonist and was used to treat Parkinson's Disease.
He said: "He doesn't take that drug any more and the effect is that any risk there may have been doesn't exist any more.
"These proceedings have caused extreme anxiety and the deterioration of the symptoms which he suffers.
"He is a man of impeccable character. He says, as a result of this particular drug being withdrawn, he no longer suffers such compulsions.
"He has done much for the community as a deputy headmaster for many, many years."
The court heard the offences ranged from April, 2002 to September, 2007.
Judge Patrick Eccles adjourned sentencing until August 22 for a report to be written, and gave Carmichael bail on condition he did not have unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16.
He said: "The court has well in mind the medical difficulties that you face and is obviously sympathetic towards that."
Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency spokesman Florence Palmer said: "We have heard reports of hypersexual behaviour in connection with these drugs, but we don't know if it is down to the drugs or an underlying issue with someone's personality."
Editor's choice
Life is too short for boring wine
Just the other week I drove to Stroud to help a fellow wine-writer taste her way though dozens of the UK’s top-selling wine brands.
Nando's, George Street, Oxford
Before last week, my one experience of Nando’s had been a rather nasty meal at its Cowley Road operation shortly after it opened six or seven years ago in what had previously been the Prince of Wales pub. The sweet taste of the glutinous coleslaw remains with me to this day. As can be imagined, then, I didn’t exactly rush to sample the second Oxford branch when it opened at the beginning of the year at the west end of George Street, where the Opium Den used to be.
Preview: Sleeping Beauty, Oxford Playhouse
Please mind the dragon, I was urged. I was grateful for the warning, even though the slinky green creature, which comes complete with a crimson mouth and the brightest of white teeth, was a bit difficult to miss. By chance, the dragon is resting on a piece of floor that is familiar with bright colours — a printing press sat there until recently, turning out brochures and book covers in all the colours of the rainbow.
Professor Bumm's Story Machine: Wytham Village Hall
This is a great show for children of all ages, even those drawing their pension! In the Village Hall at Wytham The Story Machine had the audience in stitches. Professor Ivor Bumm and his assistant Dr Willy Whee were there to present their new invention – a machine that could tell any story, with special brilliant effects and a cast of hundreds of androids.
Jim key to U's boss search
JIM Smith will be instrumental in the appointment of Oxford United's new manager.
Phillip Carmichael
In this section
Sponsored Links
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
