Paedophile teacher robbed my girl of her childhood, says mother

A mother has described how paedophile teacher Jeremy Forrest “robbed her daughter of her childhood”, after he was jailed for five-and-a-half years.

The 30-year-old was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court for five charges of sexual activity with a child and one count of child abduction.

In a dramatic twist, Forrest waived his rights under extradition laws which had prevented him from being tried for the sexual offences, paving the way for him to be sentenced for all the offences. He was found guilty of child abduction on Thursday following an eight-day trial.

The jury heard he had groomed the schoolgirl into having sex with him before taking her to France to avoid being caught.

Judge Michael Lawson QC sentenced Forrest to four-and-a-half years for the five offences of sexual activity with a child and one year for the offence of child abduction. The terms will run consecutively.

He told Forrest: “Your behaviour in this period has been motivated by self-interest and has hurt and damaged many people — her family, your family, staff and pupils at the school, and respect for teachers everywhere.

“It has damaged you too but that was something you were prepared to risk. You now have to pay that price.”

Forrest, wearing a grey suit, white shirt and tie, showed no emotion but nodded to his family as he was taken down to the cells.

Judge Lawson also imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order , banning Forrest from working or volunteering with children and unsupervised contact with children forever. He was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders register.

In court on Thursday, the defendant, who remained stony-faced, turned to his victim and said “I love you” as the verdict was about to be announced.

The girl sobbed and said “I am sorry” as he was led back to the cells after his conviction.

Richard Barton, prosecuting, read a victim impact statement provided by the girl’s mother. The court heard she has fallen out with her daughter, who moved out from her home two months ago. The girl was not in court for yesterday’s sentencing hearing.

Her mother, who was sitting in the public gallery, said in her statement: “I feel the [daughter] I knew is dead and it upsets me beyond words.” She added: “I feel completely useless most of the time. I feel like I have failed as a parent as I cannot understand how someone could do this to my child and I had no idea.”

She said her other children had suffered and they’d had to move home. “I feel like the worst mother in the world, whatever anyone else says it doesn’t matter. Someone has got my child and I never saw it coming and never saw it as it was happening.

“I feel like part of [her] childhood has been robbed from me — the last day at school, dressing her up in a party dress for the school prom, all taken from us.”