Bolton teacher who sent pupil raunchy texts is sentenced

31 October 2011, 16:04 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Bolton teacher who sent pupil raunchy texts is sentenced

A schoolteacher who tried to entice one of her pupils into sex through inappropriate text messages has been sentenced.

Kathryn Marie Roach, 24 and  from Park View Road, Liverpool pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a boy following sexual grooming at Bolton Crown Court.

She was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for two years.

She was also given a two-year supervision order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for seven years.

Roach taught the 14-year-old boy Religious Education at a school in Bolton.

During one lesson on Tuesday 23 March 2010, Roach left her mobile phone on her desk and the boy and some of his friends picked it up and put their numbers in as a joke.

Although he had taken Roach's number, the boy later deleted it.

Later that Roach sent a text to the boy and they then exchanged several texts. She then made it clear to the boy that the texts could lead to something, but he twice refused her requests to meet him.

During the Easter holidays Roach's messages became sexual.

On the morning of 13 April 2010, when school had reconvened, Roach sent the boy a text message telling him to deny that they had any contact outside of school.

Rumours were however starting to circulate at this point and the head teacher called the boy into her office and asked her what was happening. The boy admitted the contact Roach had with him and the police were called.

Detective Sergeant Stephanie Parker said: "Kathryn Roach made advances to an impressionable young boy. Not only was this completely inappropriate in the teaching environment but was also an illegal act of inciting a child.

"Children are vulnerable people and when Roach took advantage of her position of authority, it was always possible that this vulnerability would be exploited.

"The boy was sensible enough to refuse Roach's attempts to meet, and he was also honest when confronted about the matter. We all hope that he can now move on.

"Despite this being a challenging time, the school's head, staff and pupils have fully assisted the police inquiry, and I would like to thank them for this. The integrity of this school cannot be questioned at all.

"Roach brought the teaching profession into disrepute, which is unfair to the vast majority of dedicated teachers, and as a result I suspect that, at such an early stage, her career is over. She only has herself to blame for that."
A council spokesman said: "Following the arrest the school acted swiftly to suspend the teacher in question while the investigation took place, and took all the steps required to ensure pupils⿿ safety. The teacher's employment with the school has since terminated.

"Bolton Council takes all incidents potentially involving the safety and welfare of children very seriously and ensured that all necessary procedure was instigated as quickly as possible."