Locations
Canon Frome, Ledbury, Herefordshire, HR8
Description
A teaching assistant who had sex with a 15-year-old girl has been jailed.
Richard Perrin, 50, of Canon Frome in Ledbury, Herefordshire also sent naked photographs of himself to the victim before his arrest in June, Worcester Crown Court heard.
He previously admitted six counts of sexual activity with a child committed over a five-month period during the national coronavirus lockdown.
On Friday, he was told he would serve 32 months in prison.
Prosecutor Tom Walkling told the court Perrin was arrested after a male relative saw incriminating messages on his phone.
The court also heard police had found notes written by the victim, hidden underneath the driver's seat in Perrin's car.
Julia Needham, for Perrin, said, prior to the offence, he had been "a constructive, useful and beneficial member of society".
The court was told Perrin's wife was divorcing him and he had "lost everything", including his career.
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Passing sentence, Recorder Sandeep Kainth said: "What you have done is deprive a young girl of her childhood.
"I sincerely hope you have learnt a salutary lesson from what can only be described as absolute and complete stupidity by you."
Perrin was also required to register as a sex offender for life and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.