A former teacher has been jailed for 15 months for having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a pupil.

Mark Spendley had intercourse with the 17-year-old girl after taking her to his Sheppey home while his wife was away.

A judge told the 37-year-old, who taught media studies at the Hundred of Hoo comprehensive near Rochester: "The calculated nature of your behaviour is all too clear from the contents of the Facebook or text messages between you.

"In acting this way you preyed upon her vulnerability, which extends not only from her age but she had experienced personal difficulties of which you were well aware."

Sheppey-born Spendley, of High Street, Queenborough, admitted sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the relationship progressed from being friendly and flirtatious to sexual.

Oliver Dunkin, prosecuting, said the matter came to light through texts between her and Spendley.

She was feeling depressed and suicidal. Spendley made admissions to the school and he was suspended in February last year.

He told in a statement how he realised the girl had feelings for him. Contact between them became flirtatious and he gave her his mobile phone number.

"he felt he had betrayed his profession and what he was doing was morally wrong…” – oliver dunkin, prosecuting

"He described it to colleagues as the worst decision he made," said Mr Dunkin. "He said he had crossed the line."

He became anxious about the relationship and sought to end it. He agreed to meet her out of school intending to end the "text relationship".

But they went to his house and after drinking wine and watching television he asked her to stay the night. They had intercourse and he drove her home the next morning.

"She tried to persuade him to leave his wife," said the prosecutor. "He felt he had betrayed his profession and what he was doing was morally wrong."

He later texted her to end the relationship and wrote out his resignation.

Mr Dunkin said the girl at first refused to make a statement to police, but then changed her mind.

"I still feel he took advantage of my vulnerability," she said. "I loved him."

Spendley, she said, sent her "sex texts" and she responded the same way but did not feel comfortable with it.

Mark Spendley taught at The Hundred of Hoo School

She said of the one occasion they had sex: "Now I think about it, it really disgusts me."

She added: "The reason I am making this statement is because he deserves punishment for what he has done. I don't want other pupils to be treated in the way I have."

Mr Dunkin told Judge David Griffith-Jones QC: "It is plain it was a relationship of genuine affection. The relationship was unlawful. He will not be in a position to teach again."

Spendley was placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years and banned from working with children.

Speaking after sentencing, the school's executive principal Dr Gary Holden said in a statement: "We believe that a criminal conviction was the correct decision in this case.

"We take the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people very seriously and are committed to ensuring every child receives the beset possible education in a safe and secure environment.

Mark Spendley was sentenced at Maidsonte Crown Court

"When this first came to light, we immediately suspended Spendley from his post and, at the same time, involved the police and the council's child protection team."

"At this point, Spendley offered his resignation, which we refused, aware that in doing so we risked attracting adverse publicity as he was still an employee of the school at the time.

He added: "We totally abhor the actions of this man and categorically state that a teacher who behaves in this way has no place in the education system.

"We are pleased that, as he has been convicted, he is barred from working with children and young people ever again."