School teacher jailed for underage sexual activity with a pupil

Lauren Cox. Pic: Metropolitan Police

Lauren Cox. Pic: Metropolitan Police

A 27-year-old teacher has been sentenced to 12 months in prison  at Croydon Crown Court for engaging in sexual activity with a child under 18.

The court was told tha Lauren Cox had met the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in south east London when he was 13, before starting a sexual relationship with him in January 2015 when he was 16-years-old. Cox pleaded guilty to several offences.

The court heard how the pupil’s parents had become suspicious due to his unusual behaviour, and then he eventually told them about his relationship with Cox.

Immediately the head teacher of the school was contacted and social services were alerted.

Cox wrote a letter to the court saying: “I’d like to apologise to the boy for putting my heart in front of my head. I fell in love and thought the feeling mutual. If there’s any small chance I might resurrect my career, I will fight for it.”

Judge Adam Huddleston called her “a shame and a disgrace”.

He said: “The effect on the victim has been considerable. He described how you emphasised the need for secrecy, which led him to distance himself from his friends and family.

“The constant need to lie led to him becoming depressed.”

Constable Laura Davies of the Met Police said: “Cox abused her position of trust as a teacher and groomed the boy which went on to sexual abuse. The abuse has had an extremely adverse effect on the boy with his studies suffering as a result.

“Cox never once admitted the offences during police interview. She only admitted the offences subsequently because of the wealth of evidence against her.”

Crying throughout the hearing, Cox found herself unable to look at her family who were sitting in the public gallery, but apologised as she was led away to the cells.

Leave a Reply