Former teacher pleads guilty to sexual activity with student
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A former teacher has pleaded guilty to engaging in non-recent sexual activity with one of his students when he taught at Campion School in Bugbrooke a number of years ago.
Stuart Vallance, of Ecton, Northampton, was a business studies teacher when he messaged one of his students on Myspace when she was 17 years old and he was in his late 20s.
The conversation turned sexual after Vallance gave the girl his mobile phone number and after telling her he loved her, they entered into a sexual relationship which lasted for more than a year.
In 2021, the girl - now a woman in her 30s - contacted Northamptonshire Police to report the offences.
At this point, the school was under entirely new leadership and management with Vallance having left more than ten years ago.
Following an investigation, Vallance, now aged 46, was arrested, charged, and pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child when in a position of trust at Northampton Crown Court last week (June 23).
Lead investigator Detective Sergeant Louise Seaber said: “This woman has been exceptionally brave in coming forward and I am so pleased that her courage has been rewarded with this conviction. She wanted to ensure that Vallance could never do this again and she has done just that.
“As a teacher, Vallance was in a position of trust in which he was meant to educate and safeguard those in his care. Instead, he made advances on social media before convincing this girl that she and him were in a normal, consensual relationship.
“The effect he has had on her has been significant but I hope the fact he has been convicted of his crimes provides her with some comfort and closure.”
Vallance will return to Northampton Crown Court on September 5 to be sentenced.
*This report has been released with the support of the survivor in this case, who has a legal right to lifelong anonymity.*
If you have been a victim of sexual abuse, whether recent or non-recent, please come forward by calling 101 or via the online reporting tool at www.northants.police.uk/RO.
You can also visit www.voicenorthants.org or call Voice on 0300 303 1965 for free, confidential support.