School lab technician jailed for drugging girl pupil, 17, with chloroform

Jared Shreeve, 41, lured Sayeda Rahman, 17, into the school's laboratory storeroom under the guise of helping her gain experience working with chemicals.

Claiming there were dangerous fumes in the room, he forced her to wear a mask soaked in the potentially lethal anaesthetic chloroform, which made her pass out, Snaresbrook Crown Court in London heard.

The student suffered a chemical burn on her face and needed emergency treatment at hospital after the incident at Seven Kings High School in Ilford, Essex, on July 2 2008.

A jury unanimously found Shreeve guilty last month of administering a poison with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy.

Passing sentence yesterday, Judge William Kennedy told him: "This was a truly appalling, senseless and unfathomable risk to take with the life and hope of a young woman...

"The good fortune is that this deadly chemical did not do its worst."

The judge rejected Shreeve's defence that he did not know the chemical properties or effects of chloroform before July 2008.

Ms Rahman was described as a "bright and able" sixth form student who was studying A-levels in chemistry and three other subjects.

James Bloomer, mitigating, said Shreeve's actions were an "awful aberration" which had cost him his future in teaching.

Bearded Shreeve, of South Street, Romford, Essex, showed no reaction as he was jailed.