Teacher who had sex with pupils jailed

A teacher who had sex with two school pupils has been sentenced to more than three years in jail.

Anthony Redmond, 54, of Fort Austin Avenue in Plymouth, Devon, was found guilty at Plymouth Crown Court of seven counts of abuse a position of trust by engaging in sexual activity.

Three of the charges related to intercourse, and one count of indecency with a child. The court heard the offences, in the early 2000s, took place at his home, on school premises and at a hotel.

Redmond was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment and also placed on the sex offenders register for life, as well as given a 20-year restraining order relating to his two victims.

The court heard the offences took place when Redmond was a geography teacher.

Kelly Scrivener, prosecuting, told the court Redmond had talked about "a different culture back then".

She said: "He's wrong about that. It was very much illegal, even back then."

Victim impact statements from both women, who were 16 at the time, were read to the court.

"He took advantage of my naivety and used his position as a teacher to groom me and violate me for his own sexual gratification," the first woman said.

"He put me in a position as a child where I would lie and keep secrets from my parents, my siblings, and my friends."

She said it had "weighed heavily" on her mind and Redmond was "a sick and twisted man".

The second woman said Redmond "dared to play with my innocence, my vulnerability, my body"

She added: "I am angry that he was able to exist in a school and force his perverted, predatory behaviour on me.

"I was his perfect victim by not speaking out. But keeping his dirty acts a secret has never sat right with me, always burning inside."

Ali Rafiti, defending, said Redmond was now working as a food delivery driver and offending would not "reoccur because he will never be in a teaching role or any comparable position of trust over young people".

Judge Robert Linford said Redmond had betrayed the trust placed in him as a teacher, which "cannot be overstated".

"Whilst I reflect upon the fact that this offending occurred 20-plus years ago, the prosecution of you for this offending shows others who may be inclined to offend in this way that if they do, they can never rest easy."

Det Sgt Luke Portch, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said trust was "gravely abused in this case".

"The [victims'] willingness to report what happened has not only led to justice in this case, but will, hopefully, help others who have been victims of abuse to come forward."

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