Ex-head Robert Haines is jailed for child sex offences

Haines abused trust in "the most horrific way", police said

A former head teacher at a Stoke-on-Trent school has been jailed for 16 months for eight sex offences involving children.

Robert Haines, 45 had previously admitted the offences at the city's crown court.

Judge David Fletcher said Haines was guilty of "the grossest and most blatant abuse of trust".

Haines, of Brimstree Drive, Shifnal, was suspended from Thistley Hough High School in Penkhull, in March 2012.

'Trust and standing'

He admitted two counts of sexual activity with a child and five of making indecent images of children.

He also pleaded guilty to a further charge of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Det Con Martin Bailey, from Staffordshire Police, said: "Haines was a person of trust and standing in the local community who was responsible for hundreds of pupils.

"But he abused that trust in the most horrific way."

Councillor Gwen Hassall, from Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: "This is an extremely serious case and we have been working closely with the police and school ever since these allegations came to light."

Staffordshire Police said the offences were not committed on the school premises.