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Jeremy Forrest trial: 'She trusted him with all her vulnerabilities' Jeremy Forrest trial: 'She trusted him with all her vulnerabilities'
(35 minutes later)
It came mid-morning on 20 September last year and was, the prosecution said, "the call any parent considers their nightmare". The mother believed her 15-year-old daughter was in class after staying over with a friend the previous night. But her school had other news: "She is not and we have no idea where she is."It came mid-morning on 20 September last year and was, the prosecution said, "the call any parent considers their nightmare". The mother believed her 15-year-old daughter was in class after staying over with a friend the previous night. But her school had other news: "She is not and we have no idea where she is."
By that point, Richard Barton QC went on to explain, the teenager was already en route to Bordeaux from Paris with Jeremy Forrest, her maths teacher, who was twice her age. The pair would disappear completely from authorities, police and the girl's anguished mother – who believed she was most likely dead – for just over a week.By that point, Richard Barton QC went on to explain, the teenager was already en route to Bordeaux from Paris with Jeremy Forrest, her maths teacher, who was twice her age. The pair would disappear completely from authorities, police and the girl's anguished mother – who believed she was most likely dead – for just over a week.
As it turned out, Forrest's effort to make a new life for him and the girl in France, recasting himself as a would-be novelist seeking bar work, foundered when an expatriate Briton recognised him from media alerts and called the police.As it turned out, Forrest's effort to make a new life for him and the girl in France, recasting himself as a would-be novelist seeking bar work, foundered when an expatriate Briton recognised him from media alerts and called the police.
Now the 30-year-old has been convicted of child abduction, other questions arise. Could authorities have acted more decisively to curtail an obvious schoolgirl crush that gradually moved, Lewes crown court heard, from flirtation to sexual relationship, accompanied all the while by a dense trail of rumour?Now the 30-year-old has been convicted of child abduction, other questions arise. Could authorities have acted more decisively to curtail an obvious schoolgirl crush that gradually moved, Lewes crown court heard, from flirtation to sexual relationship, accompanied all the while by a dense trail of rumour?
The jury heard that colleagues and senior staff at Bishop Bell school in Eastbourne, East Sussex, had repeatedly urged Forrest to keep his distance. One tally came to seven warnings inside seven months.The jury heard that colleagues and senior staff at Bishop Bell school in Eastbourne, East Sussex, had repeatedly urged Forrest to keep his distance. One tally came to seven warnings inside seven months.
A serious case review, covering not just the school but the actions of the local authority, is underway and will tackle many of the questions, not least whether there has been institutional failure at a school that has now had two teachers and one governor convicted of offences against children in the last four years.A serious case review, covering not just the school but the actions of the local authority, is underway and will tackle many of the questions, not least whether there has been institutional failure at a school that has now had two teachers and one governor convicted of offences against children in the last four years.
The governor, a retired priest, was convicted of offences committed between 1962 and 1973 not involving children at the school.
The temptation, inevitably, is to assume that more should have been done. But some connected to the school note that Forrest was a seemingly exemplary, widely admired young teacher – when he fled with the girl some classmates refused to believe it – and until the very end was tainted by no actual evidence.The temptation, inevitably, is to assume that more should have been done. But some connected to the school note that Forrest was a seemingly exemplary, widely admired young teacher – when he fled with the girl some classmates refused to believe it – and until the very end was tainted by no actual evidence.
When rumours began that he and the girl had exchanged Twitter messages, senior staff at the school specifically investigated this but could find nothing public. The school notified the local authority of its worries but was informed it could do nothing.When rumours began that he and the girl had exchanged Twitter messages, senior staff at the school specifically investigated this but could find nothing public. The school notified the local authority of its worries but was informed it could do nothing.
The school is also understood to be baffled why, when police took the girl's mobile phone, they were unable to find intimate photographs of Forrest. These did exist and were used as evidence in court. If they had been found immediately, Forrest could have been arrested the evening before he fled.The school is also understood to be baffled why, when police took the girl's mobile phone, they were unable to find intimate photographs of Forrest. These did exist and were used as evidence in court. If they had been found immediately, Forrest could have been arrested the evening before he fled.
For all Forrest's insistence through his defence – delivered indirectly as he opted not to take the stand himself – that this was a scheme hatched by the girl, glimpses of their difference in age and relative power emerged throughout.For all Forrest's insistence through his defence – delivered indirectly as he opted not to take the stand himself – that this was a scheme hatched by the girl, glimpses of their difference in age and relative power emerged throughout.
In her testimony, the girl recounted their very first interactions, when she was a 13-year-old maths student, told off by "Mr Forrest" for wearing nail varnish or non-regulation uniform. During their early flirtation on Twitter she used a monicker based partly on her favourite pop star and showed friends intimate text messages so they would believe the relationship was real.In her testimony, the girl recounted their very first interactions, when she was a 13-year-old maths student, told off by "Mr Forrest" for wearing nail varnish or non-regulation uniform. During their early flirtation on Twitter she used a monicker based partly on her favourite pop star and showed friends intimate text messages so they would believe the relationship was real.
When they eventually fled, she did so in her school uniform, some of which was dumped in a bin near the Gare du Nord station in Paris. She had fled primarily because she feared her mother's reaction.When they eventually fled, she did so in her school uniform, some of which was dumped in a bin near the Gare du Nord station in Paris. She had fled primarily because she feared her mother's reaction.
The prosecution painted Forrest as drawn to vulnerable, young looking partners, noting the same characteristic in his wife to whom he had been married for only a year when he went to France. The teacher seemingly saw the parallels, bringing his wife's passport to France in case the teenager needed to use it. She resembled, the court heard, a "younger version".The prosecution painted Forrest as drawn to vulnerable, young looking partners, noting the same characteristic in his wife to whom he had been married for only a year when he went to France. The teacher seemingly saw the parallels, bringing his wife's passport to France in case the teenager needed to use it. She resembled, the court heard, a "younger version".
The pupil was clearly vulnerable. Though articulate and confident in court, the jury heard about a series of personal problems, exacerbated by a sense of alienation from a mother who had just acquired a new partner and new baby.The pupil was clearly vulnerable. Though articulate and confident in court, the jury heard about a series of personal problems, exacerbated by a sense of alienation from a mother who had just acquired a new partner and new baby.
Forrest's defence was based almost entirely on an argument carefully put forward by the girl herself, questioned carefully by the defence and still clearly enraptured by a man with whom she exchanged occasional coy smiles. Going to France was entirely her idea, she said, and Forrest only came along to prevent her coming to harm, especially self-inflicted harm.Forrest's defence was based almost entirely on an argument carefully put forward by the girl herself, questioned carefully by the defence and still clearly enraptured by a man with whom she exchanged occasional coy smiles. Going to France was entirely her idea, she said, and Forrest only came along to prevent her coming to harm, especially self-inflicted harm.
This version, however, was hard to tally with the narrative of Forrest, in Bordeaux, creating his false identity and looking urgently for work to support himself with his child partner.This version, however, was hard to tally with the narrative of Forrest, in Bordeaux, creating his false identity and looking urgently for work to support himself with his child partner.
That ties with what child protection experts say is the common profile of adults who groom children. Aside from their tendency to target more vulnerable young people, they tend to be emotionally immature themselves and deeply narcissistic, all too ready to convince themselves they are doing nothing wrong.That ties with what child protection experts say is the common profile of adults who groom children. Aside from their tendency to target more vulnerable young people, they tend to be emotionally immature themselves and deeply narcissistic, all too ready to convince themselves they are doing nothing wrong.
This notion was tackled in the closing speech of the prosecutor, Richard Barton QC: "She trusted him with all her vulnerabilities and he was the figure of authority. He won't be the first figure of authority who someone gets a crush on and he won't be the last, but part of the role of a figure of authority is that you do not take advantage of it."This notion was tackled in the closing speech of the prosecutor, Richard Barton QC: "She trusted him with all her vulnerabilities and he was the figure of authority. He won't be the first figure of authority who someone gets a crush on and he won't be the last, but part of the role of a figure of authority is that you do not take advantage of it."
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