Assistant head Jonathan Rowe 'raped blindfolded girl' Published duration 3 August 2018

image copyright Devon and Cornwall Police image caption Jonathan Rowe's attacks were described as "depraved"

An assistant school principal who filmed himself raping a blindfolded girl has been jailed for 11 years.

Chemistry teacher Jonathan Rowe, 49, abused the girl when she was aged eight to 10.

The former Eggbuckland Community College teacher admitted a series of sexual offences including three rapes.

Sentencing him at Exeter Crown Court on Friday, Judge David Evans said Rowe had lived a "double life" and described his actions as "depraved".

The court heard Rowe raped the girl while she was asleep and transferred footage of his attacks on to his school laptop.

He was caught after the girl told her mother Rowe had blindfolded her while asking her to pose for pictures.

Investigations revealed the mother of a six-year-old girl had previously warned Rowe about his behaviour after finding him playing with her half-naked daughter in a beach rock pool.

Officers also found a video of a 13-year-old girl on a trampoline in which he had focused on her breasts.

'Appalling actions'

Rowe, of Higher Dean, Buckfastleigh, also admitted two counts of sexual activity with a child, five of taking indecent images of his victims, and three of making indecent images by downloading them from the internet.

Judge Evans said: "You clearly have a sexual interest in children. Sadly, you translated that sexual interest into the actual abuse of this girl."

Rowe was given a one-year extended licence, ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and banned from going within 50m of any school or taking photographs or videos of children.

Will Willden, defending, said Rowe regretted what he had done and appreciated the damage caused to others.

A spokeswoman for the NSPCC said Rowe had "preyed knowingly on a vulnerable young girl to fulfil his depraved sexual fantasies".

She added: "His appalling actions have betrayed the trust placed in him and it's vital his victim receives the right support to recover from what has happened."