Together in bed: ballet teacher and pupil, 15, under the covers... but court fails to convict her after prosecutors 'ignored photo'



This is the picture that a teenage boy says should have been used to prosecute his ballet mistress.

It shows Sarah Pirie, 27, lying in bed with her star pupil, Reece Washington, then aged 15.

But Pirie walked free from court after the prosecution declared there was no realistic prospect of convicting her of having sex with Reece.

Intimate: Sarah Pirie and Reece Washington pictured in a hotel room

Instead the banker’s daughter received a 35-week suspended sentence at Preston Crown Court last month after she admitted a single charge of abducting her pupil without lawful authority.

Yesterday Reece – once described as a ‘real-life Billy Elliot’ – claimed prosecutors had ignored this photograph, which was in their possession.

Reece, who has waived his right to anonymity, was a talented dancer studying at the Clifton Dance Academy in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, when he met Pirie, who had previously worked as an actress in TV soaps including Hollyoaks.

The teacher used to give him lifts in her car, and he claimed they had drunk alcohol and had sex.

Pirie was initially charged with five counts of unlawful sexual activity with a child, and one of abduction, but all the sex charges were abandoned by the Crown Prosecution Service last November. She has always strenuously denied all claims of sexual activity.

Teacher: Pirie used to give him lifts in her car, and he claimed they had drunk alcohol and had sex

The photograph of the pair in bed was taken by Reece’s 20-year-old cousin Lois, and bears a date stamp of May 4, 2009. Reece, now 17, said it was taken on a mobile phone at Bewley’s Hotel in Manchester.

‘What I want to know is why they didn’t let a jury look at this photograph, and the other evidence, before they dropped the charges,’ he said.

‘I was fully willing to give evidence, but was told by the police that I wasn’t needed because she had admitted to the abduction. I feel totally let down by the CPS.’

Reece has given up his stage dreams and is working in a call centre. He is also trying to come to terms with the fact that he is gay. Pirie has moved to Luxembourg.

In court, prosecutor Michael Lavery said it was ‘inappropriate’ to proceed on the sex charges, adding: ‘The Crown is very concerned in respect of the boy’s previous behaviour.’ Sources close to the case have said Pirie never denied spending time with Reece at hotels, but insisted nothing untoward ever happened between them, and told police that Reece had ‘manipulated’ the situation.

Her solicitor, Trevor Colebourne, has said: ‘The Crown were satisfied there was no reasonable prospect of conviction, hence offered no evidence. If they had done so, Miss Pirie would have proceeded to trial as she has always denied any sexual offences were committed.’