A disgraced paedophile graduate could be stripped of his qualifications in a “rare” move by the University of Cambridge.
The university where Matthew Falder graduated with a geophysics degree before going on to gain both his masters and PhD there, confirmed it was now “pursuing” the almost unprecedented measure.
It comes following the jailing of Falder for 32 years at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday, after admitting 137 offences including blackmail, voyeurism, encouraging child rape and sharing indecent images.
Judge Philip Parker QC called him “warped and sadistic” for preying on 46 victims, male and female, including teenagers.
The judge drew attention to the 29-year-old’s “extraordinary sexual offending”, which he set against Falder’s exceptional academic background with one former university tutor describing him as “one of the finest students he’d supervised”.
Following sentencing, the University of Cambridge also said in a statement: “These crimes have appalled and distressed the Cambridge community.
“Our thoughts today are with those who have shown such immense bravery in coming forward to give evidence.
“Falder’s skill at covering his tracks online as his offending escalated in depravity and scale was such that the National Crime Agency’s investigation took two years to uncover the full extent of his crimes.
“The university would like to thank the police for their thorough investigation into this matter.
“We continue to offer support to those affected by this.”
Falder, of Harborne Park Road, Birmingham, but whose family are from Cheshire, was arrested by NCA officers while working as a lecturer at the University of Birmingham in 2017.