A teacher who flew home from a family holiday to have sex with a pupil has been jailed for two years.

Richard Gareth Ackland, 43, targeted the 16-year-old after seeing her crying in a classroom at the Warwickshire school where he taught computer science.

The father-of-three, of Tisdale Rise, Kenilworth, then invited her out for a drink and kissed her on the lips, despite being told to maintain a professional distance.

Richard Gareth Ackland, 43, flew back from a family holiday to have sex with a pupil (Picture: BPM)

The pair then began to meet after school, before having sex at a service station hotel on the M40.


Ackland had previously sent the pupil explicit messages where he detailed the sex acts he wanted them to do together.



He then continued to meet her for sex a number of times, either in a hotel or the caravan he had in a field.

Warwick Crown Court then heard how the teacher had even flown back from a family holiday so that he could have sex with the girl in his home.

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Before embarking on a sexual relationship with the pupil, Ackland had previously targeted another 16-year-old girl at the same school.

The court heard how he had confided in her about difficulties he had with his wife and issues in their marital relationship as part of his pursuit.

Angus Robertson, prosecuting, said he had encouraged her to lift her shirt and show her breasts, but she had refused his requests to touch or photograph them.

He then began to send her lewd Facebook messages that describe sexual acts he wanted to do with her.

The teacher was jailed today at Warwick Crown Court (Picture: PA Images)

The teacher, who has since split with his wife as a result of the proceedings, also took opportunities during school time to stroke her neck, press against her, and on one occasion, attempt to kiss her.

He also took her hand and made her touch him over his trousers as he tried to persuade her to have sex in his car, the court heard.

The girl was said to feel guilty about his second victim as she had not reported his misconduct.

In a statement read to court she said: ‘I never asked for this and it wasn’t that I wanted a relationship with Ackland.

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‘He pursued that with me.’

She continued: ‘I feel angry that he has ruined so much of my life.’

Upon his arrest, Ackland denied any sexual activity with either girl, something he maintained until the day of the trial.

But the teacher eventually pleaded guilty to inciting one girl to engage in sexual activity and having sexual activity with the other, both while in a position of trust.

On Friday September 21, he was jailed for two years and ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years.

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Judge Anthony Potter told him: ‘You were there to nurture and grow the potential of young people.

‘One of the most aggravating features is you were to learn they both had particular vulnerabilities which you did nothing to help them with, but exploited for your own selfish ends.



‘It was deliberate grooming behaviour.

‘This was not in any sense a teacher being stalked by a pupil he found hard to resist, but quite the opposite, you were exploiting a young girl.’

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