A married religious studies teacher, who was found guilty of taking his student’s virginity on a yoga mat in school, has been convicted for having sexual intercourse with a minor. Reportedly, 44-year-old Stuart Kerner had sex with a 16-year-old girl not only at school but also at his residence during their illicit affair.
A jury of six men and six women at Inner London Crown Court were told Kerner had sex with the girl for the first time while at school, the same week his wife suffered a miscarriage for the second time. Apparently, the affair started out as a schoolgirl crush but was eventually uncovered in 2013 when the pair were engaging frequently in sexual intercourse.
Kerner, who is the father of one, had his wife by his side during the trial and he seemed rather stunned at the time that the verdict was read out. Upon hearing his sentence after a six-hour-long trial, his wife left the courtroom, screaming in distress. Kerner was found guilty on two counts of sexual activity with a minor by a person in the position of trust.
However, he was cleared of six other counts.
According to the jurors, Kerner took advantage of a “besotted” schoolgirl by telling her that their relationship was “written in the stars.”
While speaking with the police before his trial, the girl said, “I felt special. But, I dunno, it wasn't really … that does kind of hurt.” Recalling the moment he kissed her for the first time, she said, “I couldn't actually believe what had just happened. I was sort of in a little dream world, it was unbelievable.”
She insisted that Kerner would never have made a move on her unless she encouraged it and she could not help but encourage him because she had fallen in love.
She told the detective, “I knew it was wrong, but it was something that felt right as well ... There was always a little voice at the back of my head saying ‘He's just using you.’”
Prosecutor Warwick Tatford told the jury that Kerner had taken advantage of the vulnerable minor, calling his actions a gross breach of trust and insisting it is a teacher’s duty not to give in to temptation.
“The Crown aren't saying she's innocent in all this. She was anxious to have a relationship with him ... (But) he was a senior teacher who took advantage of a vulnerable young girl who was besotted with him,” he said.
However, Kerner insisted repeatedly that he was innocent and while defending himself, he also called the girl a “devious, wicked liar.” But, the girl’s mobile phone records, diary entries and absentee logs helped the prosecutor prove his case.
As revealed in court, the day Kerner took the girl’s virginity in February 2012, she was marked absent from class. Yet, someone using Kerner’s login information accessed the school computer and doctored the records to make it appear like she had been present. Reportedly, Kerner even took the girl home for an entire day of sexual intercourse in October 2012. Struck in love, the girl shared stories of her intimate meetings with her close friends, three of whom went to the police out of sheer concern. However, they were turned away by the officials, who insisted they could act upon the complaint only if it came from the person concerned. Eventually, a relative of the girl filed the complaint with the police.
Kerner has been granted bail until he is sentenced on January 14.
Photo Credits: The Telegraph
