TEACHER Andrew Richards has left Marlborough College after police launched an inquiry into his alleged possession of computer porn.

This week both police and the £22,000-a-year public school, where Princess Eugenie is a pupil, have confirmed that a teacher is being questioned over material found on his computer.

Neither the school or police would name the teacher but the Gazette has established that the man arrested was the housemaster of C3 House.

Sources within the police force and the school confirmed that it had been Richards who was arrested.

The maths teacher was arrested in his home at the school after police carried out an undercover operation two weeks ago and seized his computer. They took action after receiving information that Richards had downloaded obscene images on his computer, which is still being examined by a specialist team of officers.

After news of the arrest began to circulate in the town this week the school issued a statement saying: "Marlborough College can confirm that following the discovery of inappropriate material on a computer, one of our masters has left the

school with immediate effect.

"There is no suggestion of improper behaviour with any pupil in the school.

"The College brought the matter

to the attention of the relevant authorities, with whom we have been

working closely.

"We understand that the police are carrying out an investigation into

this matter and therefore it would not be right for us to comment

further."

The master of the public school, Nicholas Sampson, said he was unable to make any further comment.

Wiltshire police put out a statement saying: "On Saturday, April 30 as a result of information received from Marlborough College a male member of staff was arrested and interviewed at Salisbury police station.

"The man was subsequently bailed without being charged to return to Salisbury police station on a date in June.

"Inquiries are being completed to establish if any offences have been committed."

Marlborough College, one of the top five public schools in the UK, has been rocked by several sex scandals in recent years.

In 2003 the school's swimming pool manager, Mark Davies, was arrested after allegedly indecent pictures were found on his computer. Davies, brother of the Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies, was cautioned but not charged.

In 2002 there was another scandal when students sitting an exam saw pornographic pictures projected onto a screen. Teacher Richard Jowett, who had been invigilating, had been looking at pictures of naked women on his computer unaware that it was sending the images to an overhead screen in full view of pupils.