Southwell broke down in Carlisle Crown Court as she was handed a 12 month jail sentence, suspended for two years. She has also been banned from working with children and will be on the sex offenders list for 10 years.
The grooming started when Southwell, who worked at the Nelson Thomlinson School in Cumbria, met a female pupil then aged 15.
The court heard how the 27-year-old sent the girl texts and videos while she was 15, but that there was no proof sexual activity had taken place before her 16th birthday.
It’s reported Southwell “counted down the days” until the pupil’s 16th birthday and they could engage in sexual activity.
She was arrested in January, following an anonymous phone call, before being charged with sexual activity with a young person aged between 16 and 18 while in a position of trust.
READ: MOTORIST TALKS OF DISGUST AFTER WATCHING KITTENS BEING THROWN FROM CAR
Judge Peter Hughes said Southwell had shown a “degree of planning and grooming” before adding:
“Anyone who chooses a career in teaching knows that it is wholly incompatible with that profession to have an inappropriate relationship with a pupil or student. That is what you did.It was quite apparent from the text messages that you and she were waiting for her to reach that birthday before you started an active sexual relationship.”
Child Protection expert Mark Williams Thomas tonight slammed the verdict, saying: Teacher Hayley Southwell who sexual abused a pupil after grooming her should be in jail tonight. System must start jailing child abusers.”
What do you think? Should there be tougher sentences?
You may also be interested in: Teacher Jeremy Forrest to be reunited with schoolgirl lover for closure