Teacher used football coaching to groom and sexually abuse boy

The victim said his "whole childhood was taken away" by David Jones, a court hears

A former teacher who used his position as a football coach to groom and sexually abuse a primary school pupil has been jailed.

David Jones, 33, of Southport, invited his victim to join the team he coached, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

He denied sexually assaulting the schoolboy and causing him to engage in sexual activity between 2007 and 2012 but was found guilty by a jury.

Jones was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

The judge told him he was a "serious risk to boys" and his victim told how he had "taken his whole childhood away".

The court heard Jones, who had initially been a teaching assistant but later qualified as a teacher, had ingratiated himself into the boy's family by offering lifts to training.

His parents had thought the friendship was good for their son's confidence but the court heard the sexual abuse led to the victim attempting to kill himself and it had devastated his life.

The judge told Jones: "Your actions were carefully planned and designed to groom a child to take part in sexual activity with you for your sexual gratification."

The court also heard, in 2018, Jones had created a fake Instagram profile as an 11-year-old girl and asked a 12-year-old boy to send naked photographs of himself.

Jones admitted inciting a child under-13 to commit a sexual act involving sending him photographs.

Hugh Barton, defending, said Jones maintained he was passionate about his teaching and coaching and "it was not some sinister job to gain access to children".

He added the defendant was "a man who struggles with his identity".

Jones was also ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for life, subject of a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order for 15 years.

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