Yorkshire teacher jailed over lesbian affair with pupil, 15

English teacher Louise Yeoman, 29, had a 14-month affair with the pupil after initially contacting the girl through an internet chat website.

The pair exchanged text messages and eventually embarked on a sexual relationship when the girl was 15.

Leeds Crown Court was told the affair progressed from discussing their feelings with each other, to kissing, touching each other sexually and eventually using a sex toy.

The court was told Yeoman, who was in her first teaching job, engaged in "subterfuge" from the early stages of the relationship, at one point arranging to meet in a park and using the boy's name Luke on her mobile phone when sending text messages.

She later moved nearer to the complainant's home address.

She was eventually caught after the pair went on a school writing trip together and Yeoman sent an inappropriate text message to the girl, which was spotted by the other teachers, who reported it.

Yeoman, who taught the pupil English at the Wakefield school for a year before the affair started, pleaded guilty to 10 sexual offences and charges involving sexual activity by a person in a position of trust.

Recorder Adrian Waterman, QC, said the offences were so serious only a custodial sentence was appropriate.

He told her: "Those who sexually abuse children or those entrusted to their care or both often see what they are doing as being about love and normal relationships.

"But, whatever your feelings, this was not about love and a normal relationship.

"Whatever feelings she had for you, whether you did what you could to cause them or whether they arose spontaneously, you should not have responded to them in the way you did. It was a violation. You abused her."

Jon Wilkinson, defending, said his client's career was in tatters because of the affair.

He said the relationship was one of "genuine affection" and his client wished to make contact with the complainant in the future.

However, the court was told the girl no longer wished to see Yeoman and wanted to put the affair behind her.

Mr Wilkinson added: "She clearly understands what she did was wrong. It is quite apparent she was craving affection.

"She was surprised that a girl, described as clever, talented and popular, would like her."

He described his client as a "loner" and sexually inexperienced with a number of personal difficulties.

Yeoman, of St John's Drive, Harrogate, was told to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order.

The order bans her from contacting the complainant and from seeking employment which involves working with children under 16.