Torfaen teacher who had sex with schoolgirl jailed

A TEACHER who groomed an underage pupil for a lesbian relationship and sexually abused her over several years has been jailed for two years.

Rachel Speed, 41, of Griffin Drive, Hengoed, appeared emotionless as Judge David Wynn Morgan sentenced her at Cardiff Crown Court today.

Speed was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault and two counts of engaging in sexual activity while in a position of trust by a jury on October 30.

The court heard she met the girl while she was teaching science at Fairwater High School and the pair bonded over personal problems.

Jurors in Cardiff Crown Court heard Speed kissed the girl for the first time in the school’s store cupboard. The victim said Speed got her to dress up in outfits, including PVC hotpants and a corset and a police officer’s uniform.

Speed always denied the charges.

The girl’s parents decided to write up a contract, which said in exchange for not going to the school or police, Speed had to agree to end their relationship until she was 21or finished full-time education. Speed, who has worked at the school for almost 15 years, signed the contract with the girl's mother agreeing not to have a sexual relationship with her daughter, but it carried on anyway.

Mr Harding-Roberts in mitigation said: “My client is an intelligent woman and she knows this is considered a terrible breach of trust.”

He said that while the girl was 14 she was vulnerable and the relationship could be seen as abusive.

But he added: “There were genuine, loving and caring elements to this when it was a legal and adult relationship.”

Mr Harding-Roberts said Speed was an excellent teacher, which was “borne out by the remarkably glowing references given to her by members of staff at the school.”

Judge David Wynn Morgan told Speed: “You were in a position of trust. You were her teacher. Teachers are not allowed to have sex with pupils. Everyone knows that.

“She was an impressionable and vulnerable child who would be bound to respond to attention from a popular teacher.

“You are guilty of dishonesty. Confronted by the victim’s frantic parents, you denied being in a sexual relationship with their daughter. You made a solemn promise to have nothing more to do with her. They were intimidated by your position as a professional teacher. You were aware they would not take it any further. You treated that promise, and the victim’s parents, with contempt.”

Speed was given a 24 month custodial sentence, and must serve at least half, has been banned for life from working with children under 18, must sign on to the sex offenders register for 10 years, cannot live in the same house as a child under the age of 18 without consent from social services, cannot have unsupervised contact with children under 18 and must not have any contact with the victim. She was also made subject to a sexual offences prevention order.

UPDATE: 12.38pm

A TEACHER who groomed an underage pupil for a “sordid” lesbian relationship has been jailed for two years.

Rachel Speed, 41, met the girl while she was teaching science at Fairwater High School, and was found guilty in October of two counts of indecent assault and two counts of engaging in sexual activity while in a position of trust.