Teacher given life ban after having sex with pupil

Ieuan Bartlett pressured the girl into sending him indecent pictures of herself, the court heard

A teacher who repeatedly had sex with a vulnerable 16-year-old pupil has been told by a judge he will never be allowed to teach again.

Ieuan Bartlett, 29, of Whitchurch, Cardiff, previously admitted 12 counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.

He appeared at a hearing at Cardiff Crown Court via video link from Parc Prison in Bridgend.

In May, Bartlett was sentenced to three years and four months in prison by Judge Lucy Crowther and was placed on the sex offenders register for life.

The professional regulator for education staff, the Education Workforce Council, and the Disclosure and Barring Service, were informed of his convictions and sentence.

This means he will be barred for life from teaching, training or any healthcare work with under-18s. He is also barred from volunteering at sports clubs.

Judge Crowther rejected an application for a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which could have placed further restrictions on him, including future access to the internet or mobile phones.

She said Bartlett's risk was specifically to girls aged 14 to 16 rather than children in general and this was not a case where he was hiding his identity or seeking out children.

She added that she was quite satisfied that the provisions in place would provide specific protection for the age group at risk.

Ieuan Bartlett originally denied the charges but changed his pleas ahead of a planned retrial

Dressed in a blue T-shirt and dark trousers, Bartlett told Judge Crowther that he understood what was happening.

The court heard that Bartlett was a welfare officer at the school, which cannot be identified for legal reasons, when he came into contact with the girl.

In an earlier hearing, the court was told that the teenage victim originally turned to Bartlett for support, but he began grooming her over several months, gaining her trust and confidence.

She said she “thought it would be love and we would be together”, but now “realised how much he controlled and belittled me”.

The court heard they had sex on a number of occasions, including once at the girl’s home when her parents were away.

Bartlett used a side entrance into her home to avoid being seen by the doorbell camera.

He also had sex with the teenager without a condom.

The teacher told her not to tell anyone about what was happening because he said she could be sent to prison. He also lied about aspects of his personal life in order to win her trust.

His actions were discovered when one of the girl's friends noticed his messages on her phone. She told her mother, resulting in the police being called.

In a personal impact statement, the girl told the court that her confidence had been knocked and that she struggled because she “believed all men were like Ieuan”.

“I’ve always had issues with my mental health and now it’s worse. I struggle to trust people and believe what they say,” she said.

He is also subject to a restraining order which means he cannot contact the pupil for 15 years.