Teaching assistant sent boy, 13, video of her naked body

CHILD SENT INDECENT IMAGE OF HIMSELF THEN ASKED FOR MONEY TO KEEP QUIET

You’ve brought enormous punishment on yourself as a result of this. It’s clear you bitterly regret this

Judge

A teaching assistant sent a 13-yearold schoolboy footage of her naked body using a fake Instagram account.

The special needs pupil was targeted by the 23-year-old and ended up sending her an image of his private parts.

Emma Davenport - whose ambitions for a career in education are now in ruins - appeared in the dock at Leicester Crown Court.

She admitted engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, in relation to sending him a 17-second indecent video clip, and inciting a boy to engage in sexual activity, regarding the image sent to her, earlier this year.

Esther Harrison, prosecuting, said Davenport worked at a large secondary school in the Loughborough area attended by the child.

Having set up an Instagram account, in a false name, she made contact with the boy and suggested a game called “Would you rather...”

The prosecutor said: “As a result he sent her a picture of his (private parts).

“He then received a video of a naked female. It did not show her face.”

The court heard that the boy responded with a message: “I’m not going to say a word.”

Davenport replied: “What do you mean?”

He said that he knew she was a teacher at school.

The defendant replied: “You know exactly who I am, I don’t want to have my job sacked.”

Miss Harrison said: “Things deteriorated and he started asking for money. She hadn’t got hundreds of pounds to hand over, let alone £1,000.

“He circulated the video to a friend because he was worried it came from a teacher and they spoke to older siblings and then their parents.”

The two boys’ mothers went on to the defendant’s genuine Instagram account, that could be openly accessed, and identified similarities.

In the meantime Davenport “regretted what she’d done,” said the prosecutor.

She contacted a colleague, saying she had done something “really stupid” and would not be going to work the next day, adding “I’m going to kill myself”.

“She also told the boy she might kill herself,” said Miss Harrison.

She then went on to the internet searching about whether sex-texting a minor could result in jail.

In the notes section on her phone, she began composing an explanation, claiming to have been trying to help the boy and “seeking to gain his trust”.

When arrested, her phone was seized but no other indecent material was found.

She gave a “no comment” interview but an anatomist provided the police with expert evidence, identifying her as the culprit.

The boy’s mother said the impact on her son was “massive”.

He was worried about being believed and “almost manic” about getting into trouble.

The boy became “withdrawn” and was concerned the defendant might kill herself.

Helen Johnson, mitigating, said: “She pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and has come to court with her father.”

The defendant now works in a supermarket, the court was told.

Judge Timothy Spencer QC asked the defendant: “What sort of madness overcame you?”

Davenport, of Bakewell Street, Coalville, said: “I don’t know why it happened.”

She said she was “having difficulties” after the break-up of a relationship.

Judge Spencer said: “It’s had serious consequences for him and for you.

“He’s found the whole thing overwhelming. He’ll be confused and it will take him a long time, if ever, to put it behind him and come to terms with it. You were in a position of responsibility. Look at the damage you’ve done to yourself - highly respected with a degree and a plan for a teaching job that you can’t do because you have a criminal conviction for a sexual offence. “You ’ v e brought enormous punishment on yourself as a result of this. It’s clear you bitterly regret this and have genuine remorse. “Because of that I can take a merciful course with you - I very nearly imposed a prison sentence, albeit a suspended one.” Davenport was given a 12-month community order with a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement. She will have to enlist on a sex offender register for five years and was placed on a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration.