In 21st century UK a judge actually said this

[danielost]

http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/in-21st-century-uk-a-judge-actually-said-this-about-a-child-sex-victim--lkjso7mAql

A 44-year-old teacher who had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old pupil was spared jail today after a judge deemed he had been “groomed” by the girl.

Stuart Kerner, a religious studies teacher at Bexleyheath Academy in south-east London, was handed an 18-month suspended sentence by Judge Joanna Greenberg QC.

When passing the sentence at Inner London Crown Court, Judge Greenberg said:

Her friends described her, accurately in my view, as stalking you.

If grooming is the right word to use, it was she who groomed you, (and) you gave in to temptation.

• Judge Joanna Greenberg QC
  

what more can i add to this.

[libstaK]

OMG how many of us have had crushes on a teacher while at school? I know I did. However, he was the adult and I was an adoring child along with the swag of other girls who all had crushes on him. Never ever was there a reciprocation, just good humoured laughter at some of our antics and a stern voice if we tried to tease too much.

This judge needs to be disbarred permanently and she needs a shrink too.

[Still Waters]

Another source link with more info in it -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-30813335

[TheDarkerSide]

Oh my!

I hope there is an outburst of public opinion and this judge is sacked!

[+OverSword]

I need to see a picture of the girl before I pass judgement.

[danielost]

this affair went on for 18 months. i could possible see him being weak one time. but not for 18 months. i also would like to know if they got caught or if she got tired of him.

Edited January 14, 2015 by danielost

[shrooma]

they did nothing, strictly speaking, illegal. the main factor here is that he was a teacher- were he a company exec & she his PA, his arm would be killing him from all the constant hi-fiving.....

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[Sir Wearer of Hats]

they did nothing, strictly speaking, illegal. the main factor here is that he was a teacher- were he a company exec & she his PA, his arm would be killing him from all the constant hi-fiving.....

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At least here in Oz, sex between 16 years olds is consensual and legal, but anyone over 18 having sex with a 16 year old is statutory rape.

[Setton]

they did nothing, strictly speaking, illegal. the main factor here is that he was a teacher- were he a company exec & she his PA, his arm would be killing him from all the constant hi-fiving.....

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Actually, it is illegal. She was 15 at the time.

Even if she was 16, she is still a minor and he was in a position of trust, making it illegal.

[shrooma]

Actually, it is illegal. She was 15 at the time.

Even if she was 16, she is still a minor and he was in a position of trust, making it illegal.

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from the article-

.

Stuart Kerner, 44, from Kent, conducted an affair

with the girl, then 16, at Bexleyheath Academy,

south-east London.

Kerner, who denied all the charges he faced, was

cleared of four counts of sexual activity with a

child by a person in a position of trust and two

counts of sexual activity with a child that related

to alleged behaviour when the victim was only

15.

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as I said- not strictly illegal.

however, the legality of the situation wasn't what I was getting at, what I was drawing to attention was the double-standards issue.

if she had been a checkout girl on work placement at a supermarket and he her manager, he would be getting his back slapped, not a court appearence.

wrong, I know, but such is the world we live in i'm afraid.....

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[SHaYap]

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article- *snip*

as I said- not strictly illegal.

however, the legality of the situation wasn't what I was getting at, what I was drawing to attention was the double-standards issue.

if she had been a checkout girl on work placement at a supermarket and he her manager, he would be getting his back slapped, not a court appearence.

wrong, I know, but such is the world we live in i'm afraid.....

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I don't get this bit ~ sexual abuse in the work environment applies because there are such said laws preventing or to deal with it ~ here in an academic surrounding surely there are civil laws that applies ?

~

[shrooma]

I don't get this bit ~ sexual abuse in the work environment applies because there are such said laws preventing or to deal with it ~ here in an academic surrounding surely there are civil laws that applies ?

~

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if it's consensual 3i, it's not abuse, merely an 'office romance', but the teaching profession is, and should be, different, which is why the double-standard thing needed addressing.....

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[Moon Gazer]

He was cleared of the counts relating to when she was 15 though wasn't he?

I don't agree with the judge, he was in a position of authority and as someone else mentioned, if teachers had flings with all teenage girls who had a crush on them it would be never ending! However, I know what I was like at 16 yrs old. And I think that some girls are even worse than I was! A lot of 16 year olds do sleep around and have long term sexual relationships. I know that it doesn't make it right, especially given his position. But if she was 16 and he was any other guy except her teacher then this wouldn't be making news.

[Grey Area]

I don't get this bit ~ sexual abuse in the work environment applies because there are such said laws preventing or to deal with it ~ here in an academic surrounding surely there are civil laws that applies ?

~

Of course it does. The teacher had a million things he could/should have done to manage that situation, the very least being informing his supervisor, and requesting an assistant to be present during lessons with the girl.

That steps were not taken to manage the situation when it started is telling of the guys character. He was probably very flattered, us men tend to think with our D**** in situations like this. It's a rocky road, but quite simple, there are so many things ways he could have handled this situation right, and only one way to handle it wrong, and he chose wrong. And now he is on the sex offenders register, cannot work with children ever again, and likely now estranged from his wife and family.

As someone who works with children, those things alone would be the end of my life, prison would be respite. But be very clear, this teacher was in the wrong. The girl may well have displayed behaviour akin to stalking, but he was the adult, and the professional who should have been able to deal with the situation, anyone over the age of 20 has had experience with hormonal teens, their behaviours are not a great mystery.

[Deleted]

I am not sure about the English legal system, but can't the victim file an appeal.

Edited January 15, 2015 by hellwyr

[SHaYap]

Well since she has to live with the reputation that this wording of a Judge has bestowed on her , I encourage her to take whatever means avail to her to make it right

~

[shrooma]

if she was 16 and he was any other guy except her teacher then this wouldn't be making news.

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they're discussing this on Jeremy Vine's show at the moment, and have come to this exact same conclusion MG.

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[TheDarkerSide]

It turns out that the judge was in fact female. I am not sure yet, how I feel about this.

[+joc]

It turns out that the judge was in fact female. I am not sure yet, how I feel about this.

And we wonder why Sharia Law exists in the UK?

[Border Collie]

And we wonder why Sharia Law exists in the UK?

I see no relevance for this comment.

[shrooma]

At least here in Oz, sex between 16 years olds is consensual and legal, but anyone over 18 having sex with a 16 year old is statutory rape.

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now THAT'S a good idea!

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[SHaYap]

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now THAT'S a good idea!

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not to the 19 year olds and above it ain't ~

[Still Waters]

In today's news -

Teacher Stuart Kerner's pupil sex sentence 'cannot be reviewed'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30835245

[Moon Gazer]

Actually, re-reading the story I don't think the sentence was too lenient. He was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust. He wasn't found guilty of any other charges including the one relating to when she was 15. Was he stupid? Yes. Was it wrong? Yes. But he's lost his job, is on the sex offenders register indefinitely and no longer allowed to work with children. Plus with all the details in the press, it's unlikely that he'll ever have a decent job at all!!

On first reading the part about how he first slept with her a week after his wife's miscarriage I thought "oh god that's awful he should be supporting his wife, how cruel of him". But actually the more I think about it, often we don't really understand how much a miscarriage can effect the dad to be. He has to try and support his grieving wife and try to deal with his own grief at the same time, all the while being the "strong one".

I know it doesn't excuse his behaviour and it must have absolutely broken his wife's heart to hear these details, but maybe his head wasn't in the right place and he got himself in to something even though he shouldn't. The judge obviously has all the details and describes the girl as stalking him and grooming him. Maybe in his upset state he just gave in and things went from there?

[SHaYap]

Not an excuse ~ i get all irksome when I hear these emotional pleas for love or good hearts and bleeding hearts ~ all well and good but this one has none of such requirements as it has nothing to do with any of those such ~

This is a breach of trust ~ regardless of what and how the behavior of such minor ~ she was groomed into grooming him, reversed Pygmalion role playing ~ he was toying with her sense of influence ~ this man knew exactly what he was doing and he got caught ~ just because he is remorseful makes for none of any difference ~ he participated voluntarily and afforded the mechanism available due to his status that allowed these incidents to become real ~ which he continued ... for a period of time ~ let's not forget that crucial point ~

~edit :grammar bump

Edited January 15, 2015 by third_eye