Married teaching assistant who sent pupil saucy texts and photos walks free from court

A married teaching assistant who fell in love with a teenage pupil escaped jail yesterday because their affair stopped short of sex.

Lindsey Jane Collett, 26, had sent the 16-year-old boy saucy text messages and a photograph of herself wearing a bra featuring children's TV character SpongeBob SquarePants.

The pregnant mother of two had become friendly with the pupil when she was helping him to catch up on coursework, Bridlington magistrates were told.

They began communicating through the social networking website Facebook and met up in a park for a 'kiss and cuddle', the court heard.

One text she sent the teenager read: 'Every time you touch me you turn me on. When I see you I feel light-headed.' Another told him that she loved him.

Yesterday, Collett sobbed hysterically as she admitted a charge of abusing a position of trust between October and February.

She is still with her husband, who has stood by her throughout.

Passing sentence, magistrate Robin Sunley said the court took into account her guilty plea. Her position at the school would 'usually make the offence more serious', he added.

'However, having listened to the evidence, we consider the physical contact to be minimal.'

The boy, who is now 16, was not in court and cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Magistrates also ruled that the school, in East Yorkshire, should not be named. The court was told that the teenager and the teaching assistant had an inappropriate relationship lasting about four months.

He had fallen behind with his work and she was assigned to help him. But a friendship developed out of school hours too  -  and Collett occasionally gave the boy a lift home.

Carl Codd, prosecuting, said: 'They would see each other around town and would speak. Feelings developed between both parties for each other.'

Many of the other teenage boys also fancied the young member of staff, but she only had eyes for one pupil, the court heard.

'Mrs Collett also attracted the attention of other senior male pupils at the school, but that was something she had dispelled.'

One picture sent to the 16-year-old was of Collett in a bra sporting children's TV character SpongeBob SquarePants

Mr Codd said on one occasion the teaching assistant and pupil met off the school premises in a park where cuddling and kissing took place. He said there was no suggestion it had gone beyond that.

Victoria Lancaster, defending, said Collett was pretty and very young for her age.

'The pupil is relatively mature for his age and a certain affection developed.

'She did try to discourage this but she is the softest pudding in terms of ability to stand up to people. She had been offered no guidance on how to act in the situation.'

She told the court that 'on occasion' Collett had said to the teenager, 'We have got to stop this', and stressed that there had been no suggestion of intercourse between the two.

'It hurt him and it hurt her,' added Miss Lancaster.

Collett, of Bridlington, was sentenced to a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £43 costs. As she left court, Collett said: 'I love you, mum.'