A religious education teacher from Stockport has been jailed for eight years after committing a string of sexual offences against a pupil at a South Manchester School.
Richard Jones, 57, initiated a sexual relationship with one of his pupils and carried on the abuse even after he had been suspended over his ‘improper behaviour’.
His crimes were discovered weeks after the suspension last summer when the girl’s family discovered sexually graphic email exchanges between the pair and called police.
Sentencing him, Judge Robert Atherton noted the defendant had carried on seeing the pupil even when he received the ‘shot across the bows’ of the suspension.
He said: “Unfortunately, you did not then desist from seeing her and continued to see her and made arrangements so that her family believed she was in one place when she in fact was in a totally different place with you. That in my judgment was a severe breach of trust.”
Manchester Crown Court heard the pupil the school, came to him for emotional support over personal problems.
Jones exploited her by flattered her with attention, setting up regular one-to-one meetings in his classroom which eventually led to her being kissed and groped.
The relationship developed as the pair began to meet in secret in a secluded area of a local park where more sexual activity took place.
Judge Atherton said: “She was clearly a vulnerable girl. She came to you for support and no doubt felt you were in a position to give her that support. But you betrayed her.
“While it is clear that she did not protest against your sexual activities with her it is also clear that you must have been grooming her in those days and weeks over which this all occurred.”
Jones’ colleagues raised concerns – with one claiming that Jones had been seen sitting ‘inappropriately close’ to the pupil in his classroom before the school day had started.
After the suspension by education bosses, Jones maintained the relationship with the pupil.
Following his arrest, the girl told police that they had both fallen in love with each other and that Jones had suggested they go to his home city of Liverpool to have sex but she had refused.
Jones pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
The investigation led to another child victim coming forward, who said that Jones had sexually abused her in the 1970’s.
Jones, of Gorton Road, Stockport, was arrested and later charged with a number of sexual offences.
He also admitted seven counts of indecent assault in the case of historical abuse in the Liverpool area which involved a girl aged under 13.
The judge said Jones was ‘extremely fortunate’ that his wife, who was in court, and their children were standing by him and continued to support him.
Jones was sentenced to six years for the Manchester offences and two years for the Liverpool offences.
He will be on the Sex Offenders Register for life and is also banned from working with children.
Image courtesy of Joe Gratz with thanks
