An award-winning primary school teacher has been jailed for nine months for internet child pornography offences. Education officials said Daniel Kinge, who won a special commendation as the West Midlands outstanding teacher of the year in the Teaching Awards Trust awards in 2004, would not work in the profession again. The 23-year-old reception teacher at Wellesbourne Church of England Primary School in Warwickshire admitted nine counts of making indecent images of children and one of possessing indecent photographs of young boys. He was caught after the FBI in the US arrested a man as part of Operation Jinks, an investigation into internet child pornography. Forensic examination of three of Kinge's laptop computers, two of which were kept at the 217-pupil school, revealed 115 images of child abuse, including 15 of the most graphic nature, Warwick Crown Court heard. Warwickshire's chief education officer Eric Wood said both the Department for Education and Skills and the General Teaching Council would be informed of the conviction. Wellesbourne headteacher Graeme Burgess said he had no suspicions about Kinge and he was checked at the Criminal Records Bureau when he applied for the job two years ago. When Warwickshire Police officers arrived at the school on November 18 last year to arrest him, Mr Burgess said he thought it was a mistake. The whole affair had devastated school staff and parents, he said, adding: "He was an outstanding young teacher. He only ever seemed to be interested in education and driving forward standards and caring." Kinge was nominated for the teaching award by Mr Burgess, who said it was rare to find a newly-qualified teacher able to take on a high level of responsibility. Kinge, from Eaton Close, Leamington Spa, was banned from working with children indefinitely and using a computer with an internet connection. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years. Sybil Thomas, defending, said there was "no question" that Kinge was involved in the actual abuse. Kinge recognised he had a problem but said the images came from a website and were a result of his search for information about professional help. | 
