Description
A 'creepy' maths teacher made a schoolgirl play a game of sexual dares before luring her into bed.
Married James Stromfield, 39, who taught at a secondary school in Sussex, devised a sex game for the 15-year-old pupil to play at his home while his wife was out.
He wrote down 12 sexual dares, such as 'remove an item of clothing' or 'make out', on a piece of paper.
The teacher then produced a pair of dice and told her to roll them with the number corresponding to a sexual forfeit.
The game of sexual dares in February ended when he got her into bed where he sexually assaulted her.
Last week Stromfield was jailed for 12 years after he pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, two counts of attempted rape, one charge of sexual activity with a child and one of inciting sexual activity with a child.
The tearful victim said she had been 'sickened' and 'disgusted' by his actions and was left 'completely broken'.
Reading a statement to court she sobbed as she told how her life had been destroyed and she had been left suffering 'flashbacks and nightmares' over her ordeal.
She said: 'James Stromfield's actions have affected me and my daily life in a way I wouldn't wish on anyone. I feel like a part of me died on February 27.
'I was keeping a big secret to myself and it was destroying me day by day'.
She said: 'I wasn't the one who should have known better. I was a child and still am. Mr Stromfield is now 39.
'He has taken away many significant experiences teenage girls should be able to feel.
'I would claw at my skin as it no longer felt like it belonged to me after it had been touched by him'.
Hove Crown Court heard the girl had been a pupil at a secondary school where Stromfield taught maths.
When the teenager began to suffer problems at home, she spoke to the teacher frequently and came to trust him.
The head teacher was forced to step in and formally warned Stromfield not to have any further contact with the pupil.
But Stromfield downloaded an app, Proton, which automatically deletes messages, and continued to contact the girl using it.
Orlando Gibbons, prosecuting, said: 'The victim initially saw him as a friend, father figure as well as a teacher. Over time his messages to her became flirtatious and sexual, which she did find a little creepy.'
The court heard she put up with the messages because she did not want to lose the support and friendship of the teacher.
When his wife was out, Stromfield arranged for the girl to come to his home in West Sussex.
The pair played the game of sexual forfeits before getting into bed where sexual activity took place.
However the girl had been tracked to the address by her then-boyfriend using the Snapchat app.
Stromfield was arrested by police on suspicion of child abduction but refused to comment. He was released on bail with strict instructions not to contact the victim.
Stromfield ignored the bail conditions and the pair met again at his house in February while he wife was out.
They went to an upstairs spare bedroom where sexual activity once again took place before he drove her back in his car.
The girl's father found handwritten notes in her handbag written to the teenager by the teacher.
The note read: 'Sorry to hear things were tough for you, hopefully it helps I am thinking and missing you. If you want to meet sometime see instructions on reverse. I will be there every day at 11.00am just in case you turn up.'
A second note read: 'I miss you so much and being apart is really tough. If you do want to come and see me come alone and be 100 per cent sure you can't be tracked. Love you loads Xx.'
Two days later the victim went to his home again and went to his spare room where he raped her.
However police had already been called and turned up at the house while the victim and the teacher were naked in bed.
Stromfield ordered her to quickly put on some clothes before he answered the door.
Police found the victim curled up in a ball on the floor of the spare bedroom and the teacher was arrested once again.
He was charged with a series of serious sexual offences including rape, attempted rape and sexual activity with a child.
Jailing him Recorder Quincy Whittaker said: 'You groomed the victim. Your behaviour was abusive, exploitative and harmful to her.'
She said the teenager had suffered 'psychological trauma' that may last her entire life.
Recorder Whittaker said through 'distorted and dysfunctional thinking' Stromfield had managed to convince himself that his sexual attention was in some way helping with girl with her problems at home and self-esteem.
She told Stromfield he must serve at least eight years before being considered for parole and ordered him to pay his victim £5,000 compensation.