Cranbrook PE teacher's obscene text messages to girls
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by Keith Hunt
A teacher who wrecked a promising
career by sending obscene messages to two teenage girls has been
jailed for 16 months.
Joe Cornwall did not meet either of the girls, but a plea to
impose a suspended sentence or community order was rejected.
The 29-year-old PE teacher stood shame-faced in the dock at
Maidstone Crown Court as Judge Charles Macdonald QC told him: "In
my judgement, you are a person with unresolved motivation for
sexual activity.
"You appear to have some kind of compulsion to send sexually
explicit messages to women while dating other women."
Cornwall, who taught at Angley School, in Cranbrook, admitted
three charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual
activity by a person in a position of trust over a 14-month
period.
Keith Yardy, prosecuting, said both girls were 16 at the time
the offences started.
The first girl instigated contact by sending Cornwall a friend
request on Facebook in December 2009. He at first pointed out there
should not be such contact between them.
There was general chat on Facebook and in text messages and he
then asked her if she wanted to meet "for fun". He made references
to his private parts.
"You appear to have some kind of compulsion to send sexually explicit messages to women while dating other women…” – Judge Charles Macdonald QC
"His messages became more explicit," said Mr Yardy. He spoke of
wanting to perform a sex act on the girl and a friend at the same
time.
Cornwall also sent the teenager a photo of him standing
bare-chested in front of a mirror. He asked for a picture of her
for his birthday.
She sent one of her wearing a low cut top and later sent him
pictures of her in a bra and topless.
Cornwall, formerly of Oxford Gardens, Maidstone, texted the
second girl about performing a sex act on her and said he wished he
was going to bed with her. He also spoke of cuddling and kissing
her.
Cornwall, now of Forewood Rise, Crowhurst, Battle, East Sussex,
will have to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years. He is
now banned from working with children.
The judge said he was making a sexual offences prevent order,
although, "curiously", it had not been requested by the
prosecution.
The judge told Cornwall: "I accept some of the messages were of
an innocent and non-sexual nature, although utterly inappropriate
for a man of nearly 30 to send to females of this age."
He added: "The loss of your career is your own doing."
Thursday, February 23 2012
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