A schoolteacher who formed an inappropriate relationship with a pupil has avoided jail.
Aged in his thirties, the defendant cannot be named nor can the school at which he first encountered the girl, in order to protect her identity.
He admitted two counts of sexual assault along with single counts each of meeting the child following a period of grooming and intentionally engaging in sexually touching a child.
Offending occurred on various dates between 1 August and 30 September 2022.
When he first appeared in court, a detective constable explained the defendant had been covering a period of leave at the school and communication continued after he left.
The court heard he had written a number of letters to the pupil and “it would appear he is quite infatuated with her”.
A defence barrister accepted there were concerns, however, it was contended the pupil’s parents were fully aware of the relationship and it was only when his client ended this by way of a text message she attended with police.
However, this was later disputed by the girl’s parents who insisted they knew she was communicating with him but not the extent.
During a sentencing hearing at Dungannon Crown Court it was disclosed the defendant and the girl exchanged contact details when his teaching post ended as she had made a number of disclosures to him around personal problems and he didn’t want her to have no-one to talk to.
He began chatting to her online and then asked to meet.
This became a regular occurrence when they would meet in his car and would watch movies and kiss.
He gave her presents and left gifts for her family, but the court was concerned that on one occasion he left the girl a bottle of alcohol.
During the meetings in his car, kissing progressed to him touching her breasts over her clothes which she did not object to, but when he tried to touch her under her bra, she became uncomfortable.
On the next meeting the girl’s parents surreptitiously attended and there was a confrontation.
Police were informed and the defendant was arrested.
During interview he accepted meeting up and kissing and cuddling in the back of his car but denied touching her breasts other than on one occasion by accident.
While he knew the kissing was not appropriate, he did not realise it was a sexual offence.
Judge Brian Sherrard told the defendant: “By your actions you have squandered your reputation and your career. There is widespread impact of your offending on your own well-being and a report from a doctor describes you as a broken man.”
However, a pre-sentence report noted he had “limited understanding of victim empathy” on any examination culpability.
The judge continued: “[The actions] followed grooming of a particular programme in that you provided the child with a gift of alcohol. There was a considerable disparity in your ages but much more than that there is a gulf between you in terms of position and authority with you having been the child’s teacher at the time you met, although it is accepted you were not in a position of authority over her whenever the offences took place … Your texts appear to show you were completely obsessed with the injured party.”
Imposing a term of 12 months imprisonment, Judge Sherrard decided, on consideration, this could be suspended for three years as “you have lost your good name and reputation. No matter where you go in life from day, this will go with you for years”.
In addition the defendant will remain on the Sex Offender Register for 10 years and subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for the same duration.
The phone used during the offending period was ordered to be destroyed.
