Married teacher, 50, who had sex with schoolgirl, 15, and sent her naked pics is jailed

A MARRIED teaching assistant who had sex with a 15-year-old girl and sent her naked pictures has been jailed.

Richard Perrin, 50, was arrested in June and handed a sentence of two years and eight months following a trial at Worcester Crown Court.

Perrin, formerly of Canon Frome, Ledbury, Herefordshire, and now listed in court documents as being of no fixed address, showed little emotion as he appeared in court for sentencing from HMP Hewell in north Worcestershire.

He pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to six counts of sexual activity with a child committed over a five-month period during the national coronavirus lockdown.

His trial heard that police recovered notes written by the victim and hidden under the driver's seat of Perrin's car.

Prosecutor Tom Walkling told the court that Perrin was arrested after a male relative spotted incriminating messages on his phone.

"The mobile telephones [of Perrin and the victim] co-located on at least five occasions in May and June, indicating they had met up in secret," Walkling said.

"The defendant was arrested and he answered no comment to all questions in police interview."

Defence counsel Julia Needham, making submissions by video-link, said of Perrin: "He is a man who, but for this horrendous period, has been a constructive, useful and beneficial member of society."

The court also heard that Perrin's wife was divorcing him and that he had "lost everything", including his career.

Passing sentence on Friday, Recorder Sandeep Kainth said: "What you have done is deprive a young girl of her childhood.

"You knew what her age was. These offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence can suffice."

The judge accepted that Perrin had shown genuine remorse.

"I do not believe you will be back before the court when you are ultimately released," he said.

"I sincerely hope you have learnt a salutary lesson from what can only be described as absolute and complete stupidity by you."

Perrin was required to register as a sex offender for life and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

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