Conviction for teacher who eloped with girl
Source: AFP |
June 21, 2013, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
MARRIED British teacher Jeremy Forrest was found guilty yesterday of abducting a 15-year-old schoolgirl after they fled together to France.
A jury found 30-year-old Forrest guilty over the September episode in which the pair spent seven days on the run, sparking an international manhunt.
The prosecution had labeled the mathematics teacher a "pedophile" who had "groomed" the vulnerable teenager after the pair met at a school in southeast England.
Their sexual relationship began shortly after the pupil's 15th birthday, Lewes Crown Court heard, with regular trysts in his car, in hotels and at the home he shared with his wife.
The two fled Britain on a cross-Channel ferry to Calais in France, leading police to launch a high-profile international search.
Police apprehended them a week later as Forrest was trying to seek work in France.
As the jury returned to deliver its verdict yesterday after a two-week trial, Forrest told the girl, "I love you."
She burst into tears as the guilty verdict was announced, and told him "I'm sorry" as he was led away to the cells.
Forrest's defense lawyer had argued he felt he had to run away with the girl because he feared she would commit suicide.
A jury found 30-year-old Forrest guilty over the September episode in which the pair spent seven days on the run, sparking an international manhunt.
The prosecution had labeled the mathematics teacher a "pedophile" who had "groomed" the vulnerable teenager after the pair met at a school in southeast England.
Their sexual relationship began shortly after the pupil's 15th birthday, Lewes Crown Court heard, with regular trysts in his car, in hotels and at the home he shared with his wife.
The two fled Britain on a cross-Channel ferry to Calais in France, leading police to launch a high-profile international search.
Police apprehended them a week later as Forrest was trying to seek work in France.
As the jury returned to deliver its verdict yesterday after a two-week trial, Forrest told the girl, "I love you."
She burst into tears as the guilty verdict was announced, and told him "I'm sorry" as he was led away to the cells.
Forrest's defense lawyer had argued he felt he had to run away with the girl because he feared she would commit suicide.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
