Teacher Goes to Prison for Bad Photos

May 15, 2026, 14:18
UKOther

Introduction

Matthew Gilkes was a teacher in Manchester. He is now in prison because he took illegal photos of children.

Main Body

Police caught him in August 2024. He used secret cameras to take photos. Police found 80 devices in his home and school. They found one million bad photos of children. Some photos were of his own students. He also lied on the internet. He pretended to be a young boy. He talked to girls to get bad photos from them. He told the court he was guilty. The judge sent him to prison for 16 years. He must also follow strict rules for many years after prison.

Conclusion

Matthew Gilkes is in prison for 16 years for these crimes.

Learning

πŸ•°οΈ Time & Action

Look at how we talk about things that already happened. We change the action word to show it is in the past.

The Pattern:

  • Take β†’\rightarrow Took
  • Lie β†’\rightarrow Lied
  • Pretend β†’\rightarrow Pretended
  • Talk β†’\rightarrow Talked

Quick Rule: Most of the time, just add -ed to the end of the word to move it to the past.

Example from the story: "He talked to girls." (This happened before today).

πŸ“¦ Counting Things

When we have more than one, we usually add an -s.

  • 1 camera β†’\rightarrow 80 devices
  • 1 photo β†’\rightarrow 1 million photos
  • 1 rule β†’\rightarrow strict rules

Vocabulary Learning

teacher (n.)
A person who teaches students.
Example:The teacher explained the lesson to the class.
prison (n.)
A place where people are kept as punishment.
Example:He was sent to prison for his crimes.
police (n.)
The people who enforce the law.
Example:The police arrested the suspect.
caught (v.)
To capture or arrest someone.
Example:The police caught the thief.
secret (adj.)
Something hidden or not known.
Example:He used a secret camera.
camera (n.)
A device that takes pictures.
Example:She bought a new camera.
photo (n.)
An image taken with a camera.
Example:He showed us a photo of the event.
home (n.)
The place where someone lives.
Example:I went home after school.
school (n.)
A place where students learn.
Example:The school will close for holidays.
internet (n.)
A global network of computers.
Example:He posted the story on the internet.
judge (n.)
A person who decides a case in court.
Example:The judge ruled in favor of the plaintiff.
court (n.)
A place where legal cases are heard.
Example:They went to court to present evidence.
guilty (adj.)
Admitted or proven to have committed a crime.
Example:The defendant was found guilty.
years (n.)
Units of time, each lasting 12 months.
Example:She lived there for many years.
strict (adj.)
Very strict or serious.
Example:The teacher had strict rules.
rule (n.)
A rule is a rule that tells what is allowed.
Example:You must follow the school rule.