TEACHER’S HALF-NAKED SELFIE SHAME
DISGRACED 33-YEAR-OLD’S CAREER IN TATTERS AFTER EXCHANGING LEWD PHOTOS WITH TEEN SCHOOLGIRL
A HIGH school teacher who sent pictures of himself in just a bath towel to a 15-year-old girl told her: “Your mother will kill me,” a court heard.
Christopher Jenkins, 33, sent the photos to the teenage pupil and asked if she would “cheat” on her boyfriend. The girl was “excited” by the attention from the teacher – and agreed to send selfies wearing just a bra and knickers, Cardiff Crown Court heard.
The court heard Jenkins told the girl: “This shouldn’t be happening – your mother will kill me.”
Jenkins began exchanging late-night messages with the girl. But the conversations became sexual after he began asking about her private life.
Prosecutor Peter Donnison said: “Jenkins asked her if she would cheat on her boyfriend and told her she was beautiful. There was discussion about meeting up outside school.”
The pair then began to contact each other using picture messaging app Snapchat which Jenkins used to send photos of himself.
Mr Donnison said: “It was over that site he sent pictures of his torso with a towel over his waist.
“Then he sent a message saying: ‘Now send me one.’”
Cardiff Crown Court heard the girl later told police she sent selfies of herself wearing just her bra and knickers as well as close-ups of her chest while wearing a black bra.
His colleagues at the school reported him to police after the girl shared some of his photos with friends.
The girl – who cannot be named – said in a written statement she found the attention “exciting” at first.
But she then grew anxious pupils would find out about the relationship.
Christopher Rees, defending, said there was no physical contact between teacher and pupil – but accepted Jenkins’ career was “finished.”
Mr Rees said: “It was a catastrophic mistake by him. His career is finished and his reputation has been destroyed in his community.”
He said Jenkins was suspended when the allegation were made until he pleaded guilty last month.
The Crown Prosecution Service said Jenkins had pleaded guilty to causing a child to engage in a sexual activity.
Judge Eleri Rees told Jenkins: “This was a gross breach of trust. You exchanged pictures of her in her underwear and of your naked torso.
“Thankfully this went no further. But she has set out the real damage done to her.”
Jenkins, from Bridgend, was sentenced to 23 weeks in jail, suspended for two years.
He must sign the sex offenders register for seven years and was given a sexual harm prevention order banning unsupervised contact with girls younger than 16.