Sheffield primary school teacher admits raping child

Simon Murch pleaded guilty to the charge at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on 4 September

A primary school teacher and union branch secretary has pleaded guilty to raping a girl under the age of 13.

Simon Murch, 55, who worked at Monteney Primary School, in Sheffield, admitted the offence at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday.

Staffordshire Police said the attack had been committed on 16 July in Stoke.

Murch, from Sheffield, will be sentenced on 17 November. Following his plea he was sacked from his role with the National Education Union (NEU).

A spokesperson for Steel City Schools Partnership, which runs Monteney Primary School, said: "We can confirm that this matter does not relate to any child, past or present, within Monteney Primary or Steel City Schools Partnership."

The NEU, where Murch was the joint branch and district secretary for Sheffield, confirmed he had been suspended from his position after being charged in July and had now been "expelled with immediate effect".