Deputy headteacher cries as she appears in court charged with rape and child sex offences

29 October 2021, 14:08

Julie Morris, 44, did not enter pleas when she appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today
Julie Morris, 44, did not enter pleas when she appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today. Picture: Alamy

By Asher McShane

A deputy headteacher has appeared in court charged with two counts of rape among 18 child sexual abuse offences.

Julie Morris, 44, did not enter pleas to the charges when she appeared via videolink from HMP Styal at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday.

Her co-accused David Morris pleaded guilty to 34 offences.

Julie Morris, who worked at a primary school in Wigan, is charged with nine counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, two counts of rape, three counts of taking an indecent photo of a child, one count of possessing indecent photos of a child, one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child and two counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

The charges are not related to her employment.

David Morris, who is not related to her, appeared via videolink from HMP Altcourse and admitted seven counts of rape, 13 counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and two counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

The 52-year-old, of Sandfield Road, Eccleston, also pleaded guilty to taking indecent images, of categories A, B and C, possessing and distributing indecent images, two counts of engaging in sexual communications with a child, three counts of voyeurism, possession of an extreme pornographic image and possession of a prohibited image of a child.

The offences took place between 2018 and this year.

Julie Morris from Hindley could be seen crying during the hearing, which lasted about 30 minutes.

Judge Andrew Menary QC adjourned the case to December 22, when Julie Morris will be arraigned on the charges and David Morris will be sentenced.