Miss guilty of grooming teenage girl

A FEMALE teaching assistant groomed a 13-year-old girl through a series of sexual texts before persuading her to meet up.

Leah Roberts, 21 ( above), sent the “vulnerable” girl messages between September 18 and October 30 last year.

Roberts, who has worked for World Class Teachers teaching agency and Exciting Teaching Sports Coaching, admitted to knowing the girl was under 16.

But she denied a charge of non-penetrative sexual activity with the youngster.

This was dropped following her guilty plea to the other charge and prosecutor Andrew Collings asked for it to be left on the file.

Judge Nigel Peters agreed and adjourned the case for further reports and so that a victim witness statement could be produced.

Roberts, of Poplar, east London, denied sexual activity with a girl under 16 but admitted to meeting her after sexual grooming.

She will appear for sentence at Snaresbrook Crown Court on December 2.