A TEACHER wept as she was today cleared of allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old pupil in her car and sending lewd videos.
Ellie Pattison, 29, was accused of tricking the “vulnerable” teen into believing they were in love.
Ellie Pattison has been cleared of having sex with a pupil
The teacher allegedly had sex twice with the schoolgirl in her car and in two of her friend’s homes.
Pattison also repeatedly touched the teen and kissed her after they began meeting up outside school, jurors were told.
She sobbed today after she was unanimously cleared of a string of child sex offences following a trial.
Hove Crown Court heard how the secondary school teacher sent the girl a lewd video where she performed a sex act on herself.
The pair had allegedly set up cameras in their bedrooms so they could see each other at night.
Pattison also sent the girl a string of texts after they formed an “intimate” relationship, it was said.
In one, she allegedly said she was looking forward to “lying in your arms feeling you breathing”.
Jurors heard Pattison also wrote about sorting out a hotel room “if we can find someone who will say you are staying at theirs”.
The girl later replied: “You are my world, my life, my Beyonce. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you, get married to you, have kids with you….my wifey for lifey”.
The teacher also allegedly expressed her love for the girl, who called her “baby girl”.
In return, Pattison replied: “I’ve got who I want…..bubs.”
Pattison, who worked as a teaching assistant in East Sussex, was 23 at the time of the alleged offences and in a relationship.
Jurors heard she had the added responsibility of looking after children who were in care while at the secondary school.
During her evidence, the girl wept as she told how she believed Pattison was in love with her.
She said the teacher convinced her they were in a serious relationship and would regularly meet outside school and have sex.
The alleged abuse finally came to light after a friend of the girl saw the pair kissing in the car and raised the alarm.
When bosses at the school discovered Pattison had been meeting her, she was suspended, the court heard.
Her partner Naomi Tregear also reported the “inappropriate relationship” to police when she found out.
She said in her evidence how Pattison told her “too far” when she asked how far sexually she had gone with the girl.
Ms Tregear added: “There was also conversation about another teacher form another school who was sentenced for sexual charges with a student.
“It was mentioned he got sentenced to eight years. Ellie then texted me saying: ‘Eight years, I won’t come out alive’.”
Pattison was cleared of three counts of penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged between the age of 13 and 15.
She was also found not guilty of two further charges of non-penetrative sexual activity with the child at various locations.
Brighton PicturesPattison allegedly grew close to the ‘vulnerable’ girl[/caption]
David McHugh / Brighton PicturesShe sent love texts and lewd videos, jurors heard[/caption]
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