Oxford Professor Charged With Possessing Indecent Images of Children
A 33-year-old music lecturer at Oriel College faces trial after pleading not guilty to charges of possessing child abuse material.
An Oxford University professor is scheduled for trial after being charged with possession of indecent images of children. Dr. Lola Salem, 33, a music lecturer at Oriel College, was suspended by the institution in June after becoming aware of the charges.
Dr. Salem faces accusations of possessing indecent images of children between May 2021 and February 2023. Three of the alleged images are classified as category B, the second most serious classification, and one is designated as category C.
She was granted bail after entering a plea of not guilty earlier this year. Her trial is anticipated to take place at Oxford Crown Court next year. Oriel College confirmed it was made aware of the charges against an employee in June 2026 and stated that the employee has been suspended pending the outcome of legal proceedings.
Dr. Salem, originally from France, joined Oriel College in 2022. She has been a music lecturer at Oxford University since 2018. She previously lectured in French at Wadham College and St. Catherine's College, both part of Oxford University.
Her academic background includes studies at the Sorbonne University in Paris, and she completed her PhD at Oxford in 2022. Her doctoral research focused on opera business, singers, and economic and legal history during the 17th and 18th centuries. She was awarded a research fellowship in 2023 and has focused on artistic institutions, governance, and cultural policy, according to her online biography. Dr. Salem also has experience in media and the arts, having worked as a columnist for The Telegraph, a business development partner for The Critic magazine, and appearing on BBC Radio 3.
Oriel College is one of the oldest colleges at Oxford University. King Charles serves as its 'official visitor'.