Deputy-head who groomed under-age pupil avoids jail...

A former deputy headteacher has been spared jail after admitting abducting a 15-year-old pupil and taking her out for meals.



Married Brian Knowles, 58, pleaded guilty to four charges of child abduction after he sent the teenager inappropriate text messages, took her shopping and ate with her at McDonald's fast food restaurants.

Warwick Crown Court, sitting at Leamington Spa, heard that Knowles was deputy head at Barr's Hill School in Radford, Coventry, when he was given the role of mentoring the girl in her diploma studies, which resulted in them growing close to one another.

Sentencing him to nine months in prison, suspended for two years, Judge Marten Coates told Knowles he was satisfied he did not pose an adequate enough threat to children in the future to impose an immediate custodial sentence.

He told Knowles, who appeared in the dock wearing a dark suit and looking at the judge as he spoke: "Cases of abducting a child can vary immensely on their facts. The public are always very concerned when they hear the offence abduction of a child and you have pleaded guilty to four such offences."

He went on: "During your association with that girl you took a liking to her and you allowed your contact with her to stray from the high professional standards which the public demand from people in your position, which I suspect you've given in the past."

He added: "The consequences of your behaviour here have resulted in you losing your job, you have lost your reputation and such is the shame which you understandably feel, you've moved away from Coventry to live with your wife elsewhere."

Harinderpal Dhami, prosecuting, told the court the relationship between Knowles and the teenager grew closer when Knowles sent her a text message near Christmas break last year. They were in touch on a daily basis before meeting up four times in person on dates in December last year and January this year, he said.

Knowles, of Beechmore Road in Birmingham, said in police interview he accepted the messages and relationship were inappropriate. He resigned from his role at the school shortly after details came out.

Judge Coates did not impose a sexual offences prevention order as part of sentence but put in place a 12 month supervision order. Knowles was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £1,800.

Deputy head spared jail for child abduction has 'torn apart' family

A DAD has told of his family’s anguish after a deputy head teacher was spared jail for abducting his 15-year-old daughter.

Brian Knowles, who worked at Barr’s Hill School in Coventry, left court yesterday after being given a nine month prison sentence – suspended for two years.

Married Knowles, aged 58, who has since resigned from the secondary school, sent the teenager inappropriate text messages, took her shopping and out for burgers.

Speaking after the case, the girl’s dad said his family had been ‘‘torn apart’’ by their ordeal.

He labelled Knowles’ sentence a “joke” after he left court with a suspended sentence.

He said: ‘‘It’s affected my daughter massively.

“My daughter’s lost friends and she was predicted to get good grades but it’s all fallen to bits. This has been hanging over us for nearly a year.

Judge says teacher has suffered enough over 'infatuation' with teenager pupil

“She’s had to live with it every day. It took her a long time to understand about the case and that what he did was wrong. She trusted him and he made her feel guilty.

“He is free to start a new life with his family and has just got away with it, other than having to move.

“He’s is probably not bothered, apart from the effect it had on his family life. But it’s not half the effect it’s had on our family life.

“She comes from a loving family and it’s pretty much torn it apart.”

He added: “I just think these judges are so out of touch.’’