Accused Warblington School teacher was 'head of safeguarding' jurors are told as third girl claims he kissed her

A TEACHER accused of having sex with teenage pupils was ‘safeguarding head’ at the school, jurors were told.
Sean Aldridge. Picture: Solent News & Photo AgencySean Aldridge. Picture: Solent News & Photo Agency
Sean Aldridge. Picture: Solent News & Photo Agency

Giving evidence at Sean Aldridge’s trial at Portsmouth Crown Court one of his colleagues from Warblington School said one of the girls called her ‘distressed’ and had to be calmed down.

Speaking from behind a screen on the fifth day of the 37-year-old teacher’s trial, the woman said the second complainant called her. She said: ‘She said she’d had sex with him. She didn’t go into details.’

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The teacher said she referred the matter to another assistant head when asked by prosecutor Robert Bryan who she informed as Aldridge was ‘safeguarding head’ and would ‘normally be the appropriate person to go to’.

Jurors yesterday also heard from the third pupil giving evidence at the trial. She alleges he kissed and cuddled her during the school day.

Giving evidence, she said: ‘He was a very, very good teacher, you couldn’t deny that. He was very good at his job.

‘He built a rapport with people and they respected him. He was more of a mate.... and I think he used that to his advantage, texting me and as it went on things got more serious.’

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She said he texted her while she was in a class asking her to come and meet him. In a video interview she said: ‘He grabbed the blazer to pull me closer and obviously I went in and grabbed his faced and kissed him back.

‘It wasn’t just a peck, it was more of a snog type with tongues I suppose.’

She added: ‘Strangely I didn’t feel like I was being pressured to do something because we had that relationship with him being such a cool teacher at school.’

Asked if Aldridge said anything to her, she said: ‘“Don’t tell anyone,” that’s all he ever said: “Make sure you don’t tell anyone, make sure no-one sees your phone”.’

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Telling of when Aldridge sent texts, she said: ‘I saw it as exciting, someone was showing me attention, I was very flattered by it and it’s an exciting thing when someone is being like that.’

Mr Bryan said one message from Aldridge said: ‘When I huge you I really don’t want to let you go.’

(Proceeding)