Teacher, 29, weeps after being jailed for sexually abusing teen pupil in restaurant toilet in same year as education award nomination

A sports teacher sobbed after being jailed for engaging in a sexual relationship with a pupil. This comes as the teacher in question was shortlisted for an education award.

Erin Hebblewhite, 29, admitted to seven charges, involving abusing her position of power to groom and sexually abuse a teen.

The victim, who is under 18, said that she had never kissed anyone prior to her relationship with Ms Hebblewhite. She also said she lost her virginity to Hebblewhite in the bathroom of a restaurant.

Hebblewhite was put forward for a teacher of the year award in the same year that the charges took place. Including kissing on the school grounds.

Rumours began to circulate about Ms Hebblewhite, with the school going so far as to warn Hebblewhite to be "careful" in case she gets into "trouble", Snaresbrook crown court was told.

The wrongdoing emerged when the teenager's mobile was taken by her mother and a member of the family found explicit messages.

Hebblewhite had pleaded with the girl to delete them.

Four of the seven charges relate to sexual acts with a girl between 13 to 17-years-old and abusing her position of trust.

The fifth charge is sexual activity in the presence of a teenager.

Charges six and seven are for the taking and being in possession of indecent photographs of a girl under the age of 17.

Prosecutor Fiona Bryan said to the court: "To this defendant [the complainant] had her first kiss and lost her virginity.

"[The complainant] explained that she did feel pressurised and felt like she had given in to pressure to behave more and more sexually from the defendant.

"Ms Hebblewhite viewed it as playing hard to get but actually this was because she (the teen) was inexperienced and nervous.

"Around Valentine's Day, they went on a date. On that date, they had sex by digital penetration in the lavatory of the restaurant." The complainant had been a virgin up to that point.

"She was required to hide the relationship from everyone and this alienated her from her peers including from her best friend who she had known since they were 10 years old.

"Moving forward into May and June, the defendant broke up with her partner who moved out and that allowed [the teenager] to come over and this became a regular occurrence.

"[The teenager] often went to the defendant's home - this included digital penetration and oral sex.

"Photographs were taken of the two of them together. She said she didn't want them to be taken but she felt pressurised.

"The other occasion was when Ms Hebblewhite tried to pressure her into having sex in the toilets in Primark.

"She said no but recalled her being forceful and persistent."