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| Jeremy Forrest repeatedly urged me not to run away, schoolgirl tells court | Jeremy Forrest repeatedly urged me not to run away, schoolgirl tells court |
| (4 months later) | |
| A married maths teacher only went to France with a 15-year-old pupil when their relationship was discovered because she would have otherwise run away alone and he feared she would come to serious harm, the teenager has told a court. | A married maths teacher only went to France with a 15-year-old pupil when their relationship was discovered because she would have otherwise run away alone and he feared she would come to serious harm, the teenager has told a court. |
| Giving evidence in person for the first time, the girl, now 16, told Lewes crown court that Jeremy Forrest repeatedly urged her not to run away and only accompanied her reluctantly and at her insistence. | Giving evidence in person for the first time, the girl, now 16, told Lewes crown court that Jeremy Forrest repeatedly urged her not to run away and only accompanied her reluctantly and at her insistence. |
| The teacher knew about serious personal problems she had endured, both at school and at home, and was worried she could even harm or kill herself if she ran off alone, said the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons. | The teacher knew about serious personal problems she had endured, both at school and at home, and was worried she could even harm or kill herself if she ran off alone, said the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons. |
| "He tried to persuade me not to run away," she said, recounting a conversation on the day they left. | "He tried to persuade me not to run away," she said, recounting a conversation on the day they left. |
| "He was still trying to persuade me not to go. I said nobody was going to stop me, I was still going. I'm very determined. Once I have an idea in my head no one was going to stop me. Not Jeremy, not anybody." | "He was still trying to persuade me not to go. I said nobody was going to stop me, I was still going. I'm very determined. Once I have an idea in my head no one was going to stop me. Not Jeremy, not anybody." |
| The jury had previously seen video testimony from the teenager, recorded shortly after she returned from France in September last year, when Forrest, 30, was arrested for alleged child abduction. | The jury had previously seen video testimony from the teenager, recorded shortly after she returned from France in September last year, when Forrest, 30, was arrested for alleged child abduction. |
| But at her request she underwent cross-examination sitting inside the courtroom rather than via videolink, the norm for young witnesses. Wearing a sleeveless black top and a long necklace, she sat directly to the left of the judge, rather than in the witness stand. She and Forrest, sitting across from each other, exchanged several glances and smiles, notably at the start and end of her testimony and when she discussed the beginning of their relationship. | But at her request she underwent cross-examination sitting inside the courtroom rather than via videolink, the norm for young witnesses. Wearing a sleeveless black top and a long necklace, she sat directly to the left of the judge, rather than in the witness stand. She and Forrest, sitting across from each other, exchanged several glances and smiles, notably at the start and end of her testimony and when she discussed the beginning of their relationship. |
| Roland Jaffa, defending Forrest, asked the girl about the immediate background to their escape. The day before they drove to Dover to catch a ferry to France, police and child protection officers visited the girl's home and took her phone, having been tipped off it might contain intimate photographs sent by Forrest. | Roland Jaffa, defending Forrest, asked the girl about the immediate background to their escape. The day before they drove to Dover to catch a ferry to France, police and child protection officers visited the girl's home and took her phone, having been tipped off it might contain intimate photographs sent by Forrest. |
| The teenager told the court she was worried not only about the discovery that she and Forrest were having sex but that texts on the phone could also alert her mother about earlier misbehaviour, when she fell in with a bad crowd of friends and had what she called "an abusive relationship" with a boy. | The teenager told the court she was worried not only about the discovery that she and Forrest were having sex but that texts on the phone could also alert her mother about earlier misbehaviour, when she fell in with a bad crowd of friends and had what she called "an abusive relationship" with a boy. |
| She was worried her mother, who was then pregnant with a new partner, might throw her out of the family home. | She was worried her mother, who was then pregnant with a new partner, might throw her out of the family home. |
| The next day, the girl said, she went to Bishop Bell school in Eastbourne, East Sussex, with a bag packed, planning to run away. She had no idea where she would go, beyond a city, and had no money. | The next day, the girl said, she went to Bishop Bell school in Eastbourne, East Sussex, with a bag packed, planning to run away. She had no idea where she would go, beyond a city, and had no money. |
| She described telephoning Forrest, who had called in ill that day, that she felt desperate and planned to escape. | She described telephoning Forrest, who had called in ill that day, that she felt desperate and planned to escape. |
| "I told him I was running away," she said. "I explained that my mum was going to find out what had happened and I was running away from the situation." | "I told him I was running away," she said. "I explained that my mum was going to find out what had happened and I was running away from the situation." |
| Being "very assertive", the girl said, she indicated clearly that she expected the teacher to leave with her. He was very worried for her welfare if she went alone, she explained: "He was telling me not to do anything still, to not put myself in danger or harm myself. | Being "very assertive", the girl said, she indicated clearly that she expected the teacher to leave with her. He was very worried for her welfare if she went alone, she explained: "He was telling me not to do anything still, to not put myself in danger or harm myself. |
| "I was concerned that if I went on my own I would be in danger and so it would be a better idea if he went with me." | "I was concerned that if I went on my own I would be in danger and so it would be a better idea if he went with me." |
| He eventually agreed, she said: "I think if Jeremy had said he was not coming with me, I dread to think what sort of situation I would have been in." | He eventually agreed, she said: "I think if Jeremy had said he was not coming with me, I dread to think what sort of situation I would have been in." |
| The court has heard that the pair drove to Paris before taking a train to Bordeaux in the south-west of France. They spent just over a week on the run before Forrest was arrested when a bar owner recognised the duo from media reports. | The court has heard that the pair drove to Paris before taking a train to Bordeaux in the south-west of France. They spent just over a week on the run before Forrest was arrested when a bar owner recognised the duo from media reports. |
| Forrest was "very worried and very emotional" as they left, the girl told the court. She said: "I didn't think he would take me anywhere. But I was adamant we had to go as otherwise I was fearful of what might happen." | Forrest was "very worried and very emotional" as they left, the girl told the court. She said: "I didn't think he would take me anywhere. But I was adamant we had to go as otherwise I was fearful of what might happen." |
| While they were away he repeatedly offered to pay for her to return home, or escort her home if needed, she added. | While they were away he repeatedly offered to pay for her to return home, or escort her home if needed, she added. |
| Earlier, the teenager explained how before their relationship began Forrest had been "very concerned and very encouraging" when personal problems and issues at home meant she skipped lessons and did badly in her school work. She said: "Other teachers would shout at me for not attending lessons. He would ask me why and try to find out." | Earlier, the teenager explained how before their relationship began Forrest had been "very concerned and very encouraging" when personal problems and issues at home meant she skipped lessons and did badly in her school work. She said: "Other teachers would shout at me for not attending lessons. He would ask me why and try to find out." |
| He advised her to seek help, and with his support her attendance and results began to improve, she said. Asked what input her family had at the time, she said: "They didn't really take much notice. My mum was pregnant, so she had a lot of things to focus on." | He advised her to seek help, and with his support her attendance and results began to improve, she said. Asked what input her family had at the time, she said: "They didn't really take much notice. My mum was pregnant, so she had a lot of things to focus on." |
| The court has previously heard that Forrest began teaching the girl when she was 13 and that flirting, notably on text messages and Twitter, ended in a sexual relationship which started shortly after her 15th birthday. | The court has previously heard that Forrest began teaching the girl when she was 13 and that flirting, notably on text messages and Twitter, ended in a sexual relationship which started shortly after her 15th birthday. |
| Forrest, from Petts Wood, Kent, denies one count of child abduction. | Forrest, from Petts Wood, Kent, denies one count of child abduction. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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