Married deputy headteacher 'had sex with pupil, 16, in her house when dad was away', court hears
18 June 2025, 08:21
A married deputy headteacher and safeguarding lead at a secondary school groomed a 16-year-old student and had sex with her in her house when her father was away, a court has heard.
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John Harvey, 51, who was an assistant head teacher at Penryn College, in Cornwall, has been accused of forming a relationship with the girl while she was still a pupil.
He later went on to have sex with her on multiple times, it has been alleged.
Harvey is accused of two counts of sexual activity with a child while in a position of trust. He denies all charges.
Truro Crown Court, where he is standing trial, heard on Monday that while the girl was above the legal age of consent, stricter laws apply when a teacher is involved with a pupil.
Read more: Deputy headteacher at top public school who had sex with pupil in cupboard banned from teaching
In this case, a sexual relationship of this nature would technically be illegal. That's because the general age of sexual consent rises to 18 in cases involving adults in positions of trust, including teachers.
Nigel Wraith, prosecuting, told the court Harvey had taken advantage of his position to start an inappropriate relationship with the teenager, which allegedly took place outside school.
One incident was said to have occurred in his car as well as her home when her father was away.
Mr Wraith said: "A middle age teacher having sex with a 16-year-old pupil is an offence."
The school had been 'in love' with Harvey, the jury was told.
He allegedly told her to keep the relationship a secret as he was married with kids and feared getting fired and arrested if word was to get out.
The pair's relationship continued even after the girl left the school and began attending Truro College, the court heard.
There were even two pregnancy scares, with the pair texting as the relationship began to end, the jury was told.
The girl told the jury: "I cared for him. I kept these messages (the only ones police found on her phone) as a reminder that he cared for me. It was an extremely intense relationship.
"We had a deep connection. I was in love with him. I became infatuated with him."
Word eventually got out when the girl revealed her relationship to a friend, and it was later reported it to the Devon and Cornwall Police.
"I was scared of being judged and that I would get into trouble and that it would have repercussions for his family if we were caught," the girl told the jury.
Harvey was later arrested, telling police the alleged incidents were 'a figment of her imagination.'The trial continues.
