Josh Mills-Afford targeted two secondary pupils at a Nottingham school while on separate school trips years apart
Josh Mills-Afford aka Patrick Thomas (Image: Nottinghamshire Police)
A teacher at a Nottingham school has been jailed for having sexual relationships with two pupils.
Nottingham Crown Court was told how Josh Mills-Afford’s grooming included him targeting them both on separate school trips years apart. He taught French at the school.
When one of them tried to break off their brief relationship, the 37-year-old father-of-one, of West Bridgford, kissed one of the teenagers in a classroom cupboard at the school.
Both victims showed huge bravery to read their own impact statements to the court, Nottinghamshire Live reports.
One told how her wish to study at university was dashed by low grades, that she struggled to sleep and lost weight as a result of what took place.
And the other told of the guilt she felt keeping her relationship with the defendant secret from her parents and friends.
Jailing Mills-Afford, who now goes by the name of Patrick Thomas, for 22 months, Judge Mark Watson said: “Your sexual abuse was a breach of the trust placed in you when you taught.
“School should be a place where pupils not only reach their academic achievements but where they spend their formative years and reach adulthood.
“You were trusted by the students, their parents and your colleagues to look after those in your care.
“But instead by having sexual relationships with two of your students you abused that trust.
“It was suggested this was not grooming but I reject that because you knew this was something you could get away with.
“The girls might have been over the age of consent but they were not equipped to deal with a relationship so one-sided in terms of the power dynamics.”
Mark Bates, prosecuting, said the first victim was touched on the thigh and breast during one school trip at a cinema.
He said after the initial physical contact they met in a car park where sexual touching took place.
The prosecutor said it developed to full sexual intercourse and, during the short time they were together, he asked her to have sex in the open air and asked for a topless photograph of her which she sent.
Mr Bates said: “She told the defendant she did not want to continue the relationship but they then kissed in a classroom and in a cupboard.”
That girl reported what had happened, the police became involved and an investigation began, the barrister said.
He said as a result the second victim discovered about the allegations and also came forward to report what had happened to her years before when she, too, was 17.
Mr Bates said: “She said they had been on a school trip and the defendant purchased alcohol.
“Their relationship began and she told how he requested naked images of her which she never sent.”
Mills-Afford, of Blake Road, pleaded guilty to 11 charges of sexual activity with a girl while being an adult and abusing his position of trust and one count of possession of an indecent image of a child.
He has no previous conviction.
Girl A, in her impact statement, said: “I was in constant fear about what was happening but I did not want to get him into any trouble.
“Before all this happened I was a happy girl and I felt like I was doing really well and getting good grades.
“But after the time this happened I became a mess, I felt stupid and naive.”
Girl B, in her statement, said: “I was manipulated into believing what was happening was normal.
“I lied to my family and friends to protect Josh, I hope I can come to terms with what happened.”
Simon Eckersley, mitigating, said since the news became public his client’s marriage has broken down, he lost his job as a teacher and he will never teach again.
The identities of the victims are protected by law.
