POLICE have said a prison sentence would have been appropriate in the case of a teacher who groomed a boy and sent him explicit text messages.
Roseanna May Langley, 24, who was a science teacher as St James' School in Exeter, walked free from court after admitting "sexually touching a boy".
She also lied about being pregnant and that she had miscarried in a bid to emotionally blackmail the boy.
Langley, of Willow Walk, St James, sent the boy him hundreds of text messages. She has been dismissed from her post.
She pleaded guilty to two charges of being a person aged 18 or over in a position of trust and, not believing the victim was aged 18 or over, she intentionally touched a boy and the touching was sexual.
She was given a suspended prison term – effectively meaning that she walks free unless she re-offends. Langley sobbed in the dock at Exeter Crown Court as she was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid community work and go on a sex offender's course.
After the hearing Detective Constable Steve Merrett said he accepted the decision of as part of two years' supervision by Recorder Mr Paul Dunkels, to give Langley a suspended prison term, but that he felt she could have been jailed.
DC Merrett said: "She was a woman with no previous bad character who says she made a mistake. But I think we felt that what happened could have led to an immediate custodial term."
The court heard that the school became aware of her involvement with the boy and contacted police in March.
Emily Pitts, prosecuting, said when police initially interviewed Langley she denied the allegations.
She said: "When they spoke to Langley they found no messages on her phone and she denied any involvement."
Nut when further evidence was found and Langley was arrested she told officers: "I've let so many people down."
Police searched her home and found photographs of the boy.
Miss Pitts told the court that Langley had sent the boy semi-naked images of herself, including one where she was performing a sexual act.
The court heard that Langley had been in a long-term relationship and had been engaged, but this broke off. Miss Pitts said it was unclear whether the engagement ended as a result of Langley's involvement with the teenager.
Kelly Scrivener, defending, said Langley is deeply remorseful about what she has done.
Miss Scrivener said: "This was not a teacher preying on a vulnerable student. There was no pressure or coercion.
"She feels she has let down her employers and her parents. She has thrown away her career. From the age of 10, all she has wanted to be is a teacher."
Langley may now pursue a career in the care industry having had a job in that field for a short period after leaving the school, the court heard.
He told her: "Your actions were selfish and motivated by a need to boost your own damaged self esteem.
"You groomed him and when his interest in you faltered you sent him text messages and explicit photographs to rekindle his sexual interest.
"You lied to him and intimated you were pregnant with his child and had miscarried. That was manipulative emotional blackmail intended to put pressure on him.
"You did that without any thought for the emotional damage you might inflict on him. It would be difficult news for anyone to cope with, let alone a 16-year-old. In my judgment it shows you were reckless not only with your own career and your liberty but careless for this boy's well being. You were selfishly exploiting him when you were in a position of trust.
"It was a breach of trust which cause considerable upset among your former colleagues at the school where you taught and alarm among parents.
"You are an intelligent young woman. You knew the risks you were taking but you abandoned all self discipline and judgment.
"I am told you had wanted to be a teacher since you were a child. You have destroyed that. You will never teach children again."
The sentence means Langley will have to sign on the sex offenders' register for 10 years and will be barred from working with children and young people indefinitely.
Langley has been dismissed from St James' and headteacher Moira Marder said: "The school, working with the police, carried out a full investigation into the allegation. The police have confirmed that none of the offences happened on the school premises and said that the school's follow-up and support for the investigation were exemplary.
"As soon as the formal police investigation concluded the school was able to dismiss the member of staff immediately."
