Amy Fenton

David Brown, a 35-year-old former teacher, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to offences involving the grooming and sexual abuse of a schoolgirl. Police found four phones in his classroom containing about 700 sexual messages exchanged with the victim. Brown also used video calls, took the girl to secluded locations and caused her to engage in sexual activity. The court ordered him to sign the sex offender register. The victim’s mother described the lasting emotional impact on the family, while police said Brown had abused his position of trust and urged young people experiencing sexual exploitation to seek help.