Cardiff: Teacher accused of sexual activity with teenage pupil

Ieuan Bartlett denies 12 counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust

A teacher has gone on trial accused of having sexual activity with a "vulnerable" teenage pupil.

Ieuan Bartlett denies 12 counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust, including two charges of sexual intercourse.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Mr Bartlett, who was a welfare officer, gained the pupil's trust over several months.

Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe said Mr Bartlett took advantage of his role.

The jury was told the pair often met alone at school, leading the pupil to believe that the 28-year-old from Whitchurch, Cardiff, had fallen for her and that they were in a relationship.

The jury was shown a video of the pupil's police interview in which she told detectives that the defendant said he wanted a relationship with her.

She said he would pressure her into sending nudes and told her he wanted to book a hotel and spend the weekend with her.

She told officers that she would often be in the welfare office because she was struggling with anxiety and there were lessons she was not comfortable attending.

"He's very touchy feely," she told detectives, adding that he had warned her not to tell anyone else.

"He'd drill it into me that he could go to prison for it," she said.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Mr Bartlett, who was a welfare officer, gained the pupil's trust over several months

In her police interview, the girl also said that Mr Bartlett had kissed her and that it made her think "it's meant to be".

She said it was "a kiss on the lip".

She said some days he would make her feel "special" at school, but other days he would shout at her and it made her feel "awful", adding that it "really messed with my head".

"It made me feel like one minute he wanted me and the next he'd show me up in front of the whole school."

The girl told detectives Mr Bartlett visited her at home using a side door to avoid being recorded on the Ring video doorbell camera.

She said they then had unprotected sex in her bedroom, after the school term had ended.

The court heard that Bartlett was arrested and interviewed twice by police but declined to answer questions.

Mr Bartlett has denied engaging in any sort of sexual relationship with the pupil during the school term.

Jurors were told that he accepted that after the school term ended he went round to the pupil's house for sex.

The prosecution said the court would see text messages that would "make it plain it was a longer lasting sexual relationship".

The trial continues.