A former school principal accused of possessing child exploitation material has died suddenly, before he faced court.
Paul Whitehead, who has been principal of the private Bold Park Community School in Perth for nearly a decade, was scheduled to appear in Midland Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
But his lawyer, Carole MacKay, told the court on Tuesday morning that the 56-year-old had died on Monday, the West Australian reported.
The charges Whitehead was facing, one count of possessing child exploitation material, failing to obey an officer and unlawfully possessing a controlled or prescription drug, were discontinued.
The circumstances of his death were reportedly not considered suspicious.
Whitehead had been on long service leave from the school for the past six months and was arrested and charged earlier in September.
At the time, the police took electronic devices allegedly belonging to him from his Ellenbrook home.
The police had alleged the seized devices had child exploitation material on them.
Paul Whitehead (pictured), a former school principal accused of possessing child exploitation material, has died suddenly, before he faced court
The alleged offences occurred while Whitehead was a school principal, but there was no evidence any student from the school was depicted, police said.
More to come
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