Former teacher from Lewes spared jail after sexual activity with pupil 20 years ago

Instead David Howard, 47, of Sun Street, Lewes, an English teacher who taught at a large London comprehensive school, was given a six month suspended jail sentence at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday, January 5, after he pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in sexual activity, while in a position of trust in 2002.

He was also ordered to take part in 30 days of a Probation Service-ordered rehabilitation activity and must sign the sex offenders register for seven years.

The court was told Howard gave the teenage girl a Valentine’s Day card and letter, saying he was ‘becoming besotted’.

The court was told he had received oral sex from the girl at the school. He was said to have joked with the girl that they may be caught by the cleaner when they secretly met in the stockroom cupboard for a ‘one off’.

The court had been told that Howard, who was single at the time and in his first teaching job at the school, was 24 years old at the time of the offence.

The girl had reported him to the Deputy Headmaster and another teacher at the time, but nothing happened.

Prosecutor Matthew Dalton said the victim first reported Howard – who quit teaching for the legal profession – in 2021.

“I received a Valentine’s Day card when I was 16-years-old,” she told police. The card was was followed by a hand-written letter in which Howard wrote: “I fear I have become besotted by you.”

Howard sent her further cards, letters, mini-discs and books, including a paperback by Marquis de Sade, the court was told.

The court was told that over ten years later, in 2013, she sent him a letter saying she was now aware he ‘groomed and abused’ her, but that Howard did not reply.

Judge Charlotte Welsh told Howard: “You chose to use that girl to make you feel better, which was an extremely cruel thing to do. She was not equipped to deal with your sexual advances. It was highly selfish behaviour, a twisted immoral attempt at courtship that was criminal. I accept your remorse is genuine, but that is cold comfort to the victim. There is a genuine prospect of rehabilitation and I accept your understanding that what you did was so wrong.”

The victim attended the hearing and read aloud her impact statement. She said: “The grooming was so powerful that for a decade I was convinced it was a consenting relationship.”

She quit her job due to the stress of the case and cut herself off from her family and lost a considerable amount of weight. “I was anxious, agoraphobic, isolated and afraid and fearful in public,” she told the courtroom.

Howard’s lawyer James Martin told the court his client is now seeing a counsellor, but Judge Welsh noted this only began when he was arrested.

“This was many, many years ago and you are passing sentence on someone who is a different human being,” said the lawyer. “This was his first job and he was immature and teaching children not much younger than himself.”

Mr Martin said Howard accepted that what he did was ‘morally unacceptable’ but did not accept that he groomed her.

Mr Martin said: “He has dealt with a substantial amount of residual guilt for what he has done. Some time ago he wrote a letter of remorse and apology to the victim and that letter is in the hands of the Crown Prosecution Service and available if she wants to read it.

“He will have to find a new career now and at his age that in itself is a significant punishment. He moved away from the teaching profession to engage in the world of law.”

Judge Welsh told Howard: “By its nature it was abusive at all times.”

“You sent her a Valentine’s Day card and told her you were besotted,” he said, adding that Howard spent time with her outside of the school.

Judge Welsh said: “It took her many years to understand that what you did to her was abuse.”

He continued: “You tell me you saw your involvement as a genuine relationship, but it was a warped view given that she was a schoolgirl and you were a schoolteacher. I am told you acknowledge this now and are disgusted by what you did then.”

The Judge ruled Howard’s behaviour did not amount to grooming, adding: “It must have been a stressful environment in a large London comprehensive and you had a crisis of confidence and mental health difficulties.”