Too feel devastated for the wife of the teacher who has run off to France with his 15 year old pupil?

[chipsandmushypeas]

What on earth went through his head when he decided to do this?! The poor woman has taken all her social networks down out of humiliation I presume. link

Crazy.

I was sexually active at 15 and I would have gone ballistic if my parents had accused my boyfriends of rape.

Anyway, we're saying that we don't know if there has been a sexual relationship between the teacher and the pupil yet but he hasn't run away with her to go scrumping for apples in the French country, has he? :(

BOF - that isn't clear at all re the illegal thing.

Is it not illegal for a teacher to form a romantic/sexual relationship with a pupil? I thought it was now. The police are clearly concerned.

I know the legal age is 16 but I just don't understand how because she is under 16 its automatically rape.

I was having sex way before that age, as I mentioned up the thread, sometimes with men who were older. They didn't rape me, but what the law says they did even if I don't?

Yes pan I understand but I dont think the head was suggesting he had previously tried to spirit girls away, was he!

There are many sexually active 15 year olds, that doesn't mean someone twice that age should manipulate them away from everything and everyone.

Statutory rape, RubyFakeNails. You cannot consent legally by dint of being under 16. I really don't agree with this but this thread isn't the place to discuss it as I don't want my problems with this particular law to be misconstrued as sympathy for the teacher. But suffice to say that there are 15 year old girls who know their mind sexually.

There is no such legal term in the UK, stat rape is American. It is illegal, under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, but thats not a legal term.

londoneone - it depends on the evidence as presented. Even if they come back and admit to have had sex (which they may not) it still isn't clear if he will be charged. The family may not want their lovely young daughter be put through the agony of giving evidence against someone who she 'loves'. As parents they just want her back. That may well be a factor.
Police are concerned as she is a missing girl right now.

Fair enough TheOneAndOnly I thought you were accusing me of having some kind of sympathy with him. Regardless of her age, whether she's maturer than the average 15 year old, whether she can juggle balls of fire he's the adult and he knows even communicating with her in this way is wrong and he should have stopped it. If he initiated it then he's doubly wrong.

Agree with wannaBe, really. Although the headmaster might've "let slip" that there were concerns that were being dealt with, this could've been the catalyst for their little trip. Put them in a position where they could behave like star crossed lovers, "us against the world", blah blah blah. Stupid, stupid man.

Ruby because he is an adult in a position of power. This makes a great deal of difference. As does that fact he is double her age.

years ago it was Unlawful Sexual Intercourse but the 2003 Act dropped that.

Thanks Bups (that sounds vair nethuns doesn't it) it just seems utter madness to me, although not wanting to come across as sympathetic is totally fine.

Am quite bored today, think I shall start a thread as I just cannot see how that can be right.

I know all that Pan, hence why I think you might be jumping the gun a bit with talk of contempt

MrsDeVere I do get the position of power aspect, I was under the impression from what I read earlier in the thread that there is a law in regards to relationships between students and teachers to deal with that aspect specifically.

I'm just confused as to whether it is legally 'rape' which has been mentioned quite a lot on this thread solely because he is older or is it solely because of his position or is it that exact combination in the eyes of the law.

It's not rape if she consents; it's Unlawful Sexual Intercourse. Very different offence.

My DS1 is 17, weeks off being 18. I still want no teacher having any sort of relationship with him other than a professional one. The fact that he may or may not be having sex with girls his own age has no bearing on it. A teacher is in a position of trust, that trust should not be abused. Never, ever!

If any bloody teacher got her hands on DS2(15) because he looked older, acted a bit mature, flattered her or whatever I'd want her strung up!

This bloke didn't meet this girl in a pub, where she was dressed up to the nines, wearing a full face of makeup, he taught her at school. He knows her age. He is a menace and once they get her back, charging him and prosecuting is absolutely in the public interest. He should not be allowed round children again!

Well, no not really. Any defence barrister would point up any comment to seal a contempt deal. I said something like he is moving toward a contempt scenario (or something like it) and IF people say any more about him it increases the chances.

fwiw I think he should be charged on any thing that will legally stick.

The attitude that she's 15 and therefore knows her own mind is just the same attitude that is helpful to paedophiles.

I too was having sex at 15 but it's illegal.

If we actually kept to the law then surely we all know where we stand.

Again this isn't 2 15 year olds it's a child and a mature man in authority.

Dilys - USI doesn't exist anymore.

On the rape thing surely the whole point is that ad a child in law she is unable to give informed consent to sex so by default it's rape?? Is that correct lawyers out there?

There was a girl at my school went on to marry one of the teachers. He looked ancient to me at the time but he probably was only in his early to mid 30s. Still quite a big deal when she was only 16 though. Apparently it was going on while she was at school and as soon as she left they came out, as it were. I think he left shortly afterwards.

So what is it Pan? I'm not personally up to date, I admit, so am willing to be corrected but found guidance on USI sentencing on a CPS site dated 2010.

Nope - it's sexual activity with a child U16 - the degree of 'moral terpitude' depends on what he actually did. (not a barrister btw)