Teacher jailed over sex with pupil

Teacher Mark Westcott was jailed after admitting sexual activity with a child

A teacher who had sex with one of his students in a classroom has been jailed for 16 months.

Married Mark Westcott, 48, began the affair with the girl when she was just 16 and had gone to see him for pastoral support.

The design and technology teacher had given her his mobile phone number after one of his classes.

Their relationship soon developed from flirty texts into kissing and full consensual sex.

The affair began when the girl was aged 16 and taking her GCSEs in Year 11 at a school in the Bath area and continued when she joined the sixth form.

She even babysat Westcott's children and became a friend of his wife, Swindon Crown Court heard.

The affair was first reported to police after the NSPCC received an anonymous call and later a pupil told another teacher that the girl was seeing someone.

Initially the teenager refused to co-operate but soon gave detectives a statement detailing their relationship.

At an earlier hearing Westcott, from North Wraxall, Wiltshire, admitted three charges of sexual activity with a child while in a position of trust. Although he has separated from his wife Deborah, she was in court to support him.

Charles Row, defending, said Westcott was remorseful and sorry for what he had done. "He has let so many people down, himself, his family and the teaching profession," Mr Row said.