A pervert schoolteacher took advantage of a young girl and groomed her for sex after she confided in him about family problems she was having, a court heard.

Clive Gibson kissed the 14-year-old “intimately”, groped her bare bottom and contacted her on Skype while she was naked.

The balding and bearded 53-year-old father, who taught at a Gillingham school, also sent the girl graphic messages telling her what he wanted to do.

“It was seriously depraved behaviour,” said prosecutor Andrew Espley.

Gibson, of Bredhurst Road, Wigmore, was jailed for four years and four months today after admitting three offences of sexual assault and one of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Maidstone Crown Court heard a parent of the victim became suspicious when he saw a message on her phone addressing her as “darling”.

“He didn’t think that was the sort of thing people of her generation used and looked into it further,” said Mr Espley. “It came to light the messages were from Mr Gibson.”

“She described his emails as persuasive. We would say it was as a result effective grooming behaviour by him. She felt disgusted with herself” - Prosecutor Andrew Espley

When interviewed by police, the girl, who cannot be identified, said Gibson had initiated a sexual relationship with her.

Mr Espley said Gibson had offered to talk to the girl about her problems and gave her his email address. She did so and after a while he told her he had feelings for her.

“She said she didn’t know what to do,” he continued. “She didn’t know what she would do if she lost him because he was helping her. She felt pressure but didn’t want to annoy him.”

Gibson met her in his black Range Rover car on one occasion and kissed her intimately. He asked to meet her and molested her by squeezing her bare buttock under her skirt.

“She describes the first kiss as leaving her confused,” said Mr Espley. “She felt nervous and wanted to go home. She kept pushing him - metaphorically - away but he kept pushing to meet her.

“She described his emails as persuasive. We would say it was as a result effective grooming behaviour by him. She felt disgusted with herself.”

Gibson asked why the girl was not sending sexual emails back to him and she did so when he became “pushy”.

“There was graphic discussion,” said Mr Espley. “She was going to go to his home and engage in various activities in the shower. That is what he was inciting her to do.”

Gibson, who served in the military, made one threat that he would kick her door down if she did not return his emails.

His lawyer said the threat to kick the door down was "to protect her rather than elicit her cooperation" which the judge accepted.

The court heard Gibson’s teaching career was now over and he was suffering from depression and feeling suicidal.

Gudrun Young, defending, said it was merciful that the girl’s parents intervened before any further sexual activity could happen.

“We accept this is an extremely serious case,” she said in mitigation. “It appears to be extremely out of character. It is not a moment of madness. It went on for a period of weeks.

"You had control of her. You manipulated her for your own purpose, which was fulfilment of your own sexual gratification" - Judge Philip Statman

“But when one steps back it clearly was aberrant behaviour. Up to that point he led a completely respectable, law-abiding life.

“He didn’t have any underlying attraction to young girls. He thought of himself as someone who would utterly condemn this kind of behaviour.

“It is almost unimaginable that a teacher can behave as he did. He convinced himself he was in a loving adult relationship.

“He appears to have lost all of his judgement and acted in an appalling manner. He hopes she is able to put this behind her.

“The losses to him are nothing compared to the impact on her. He has lost his good name and the career he worked for.”

Gibson's name will appear indefinitely on the sex offenders’ register and he will be barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.

Judge Philip Statman told him: “You had control of her. You manipulated her for your own purpose, which was fulfilment of your own sexual gratification.

“Your thoughts and values during the course of those weeks were totally distorted. She is bravely seeking to deal with all that has happened to her.”

The judge added: “Part of the punishment is you have lost the esteem in which you were previously held in the community. You will never teach again.

“It will be difficult for you to find any form of work, no doubt. So, by your actions you have undermined totally your position in the community.

“But I have got to look at the protection of a young person in the community who was vulnerable to your desires.”

After sentencing, an NSPCC spokesperson said: "This is a truly shocking case. Not only did he take advantage of a vulnerable young girl but as a teacher he was in a position of trust.

"He has shown himself to be manipulative and relentless in pursuing her. Hopefully his prison sentence will give him time to reflect on his despicable actions."