Teaching assistant who played twisted 'truth or dare' sex games with boys may have abused 'over 81' children

A twisted assistant who sexually abused special needs children he should have been caring for could have abused more than 80 children, a court has heard.

Daniel Clarke, of Signal Grove, Bloxwich near Walsall, was sentenced to seven years and six months at after pleading guilty to sexual offences against six vulnerable children. Clarke had worked as a teaching assistant at a in Solihull and, separately, as a personal assistant to several children, the court heard.

The 28-year-old had been 'entrusted' to look after his victims but instead groomed them and told them to keep quiet about his abuse. Clarke encouraged them to play sick 'truth or dare' sex games, recorded his sex attacks and kept a list of the boys he had filmed.

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Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how police launched an investigation last October following a report that the teaching assistant was 'having an inappropriate relationship' with one of his victims. Much of the abuse is too graphic to be reported, but prosecutor Daniel Oscroft said the children were exposed to pornography, made to stand naked and secretly filmed in toilets, reports .

Mr Oscroft told the court that there is an ongoing police investigation which is 'complex and sensitive', with potentially 'well over 81 victims'. One mother, who paid Clarke £3,500 to work as an assistant to her child, told the court she was left feeling she had been "paying him to abuse her son". Her son was one of the "particularly vulnerable" children, all of whom had additional needs and disabilities, that Clarke "abused his position of trust" against, the court heard.

Defending barrister Katie Goodman said Clarke had previously been of good character and was 'deeply ashamed and deeply remorseful'. She said: "He wishes to offer an apology, not only to the victims, but to their families. He realises all too readily that this is simply not enough."

At a hearing in February, Clarke admitted making indecent photographs of children, three counts of sexual assault of a child, two counts of sexual activity with a child and three counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity between 2013 and 2024. He was handed an extended licence period of four-and-a-half years and barred for life from working with children. Clarke was also handed a sexual harm prevention order and told he must remain on the sex offenders register for life.

Upon sentencing Judge Michael Chambers KC told him: "Those who have special educational needs are vulnerable and require protection and support. Both they and their close relatives are entitled to expect such protection and support from persons such as yourself, who are entrusted to look after them. What you did constitutes a gross breach of trust and will have caused significant psychological harm to those concerned."

Clarke’s identity was initially withheld from the public over fears publication of their wider investigation could prejudice future jurors. But Judge Chambers has now decided to lift the restriction in its entirety, agreeing future proceedings were neither pending or imminent.