Bury teaching assistant jailed for child sex offences

A teaching assistant from Greater Manchester has been jailed for grooming and sexually assaulting a boy of primary school age.

Terri Cook, 38, from Radcliffe, in Bury, was given a sentence of four and a half years at Manchester Street Crown Court after pleading guilty to eight charges of sexual offences against a vulnerable young boy.

An investigation found messages on Cook's phone inciting sexual communications with the victim. She was also found to have indecent images of him.

"This case was a horrific example of calculated abuse of power, and Cook targeted a vulnerable child who put his trust in her," Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Det Sgt Adam Stanfield said.

The police investigation against Cook began in September 2025, when a member of the public reported seeing the teaching assistant in public with a young boy.

The investigation later showed she had been grooming and manipulating the child into engaging in a sexual relationship with her.

Along with inciting sexual communications with the boy and having indecent images of him, Cook was also found to have been buying him expensive items, jewellery, and clothing for more than nine months.

In a statement to the court yesterday, the victim's mum said: "[The victim] was a happy boy who was extremely kind and caring to everyone around him.

"Despite experiencing traumatic events earlier in his life, he continued to be positive and compassionate.

"He smiled every day and made us all laugh."

She said she had trusted Cook, and that the abuse would affect the child "forever".

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