Male teacher who slept with his teenage student spared jail after judge rules that under age girl seduced him

London, England: A teacher who slept with a teenage pupil was spared jail today after a judge claimed he was "groomed" by the besotted 16-year-old.

Married Stuart Kerner, 44, had sex with the girl at school - taking her virginity on a yoga mat in a store cupboard.

Kerner also took his teenage lover, who had "pursued" him, to his family home when his wife was at work and slept with her in the guest bedroom.

However, he walked free from court today after Judge Joanna Greenberg QC sentenced him to 18 months in jail, suspended for 18 months.

Father-of-one Kerner, who was also vice principal at Bexleyheath Academy, South East London, suppressed tears and shut his eyes as he heard he would not be going to jail.

Judge Greenberg described the circumstances of the crime as a "tragedy" and said there was no evidence Kerner had sought the affair.

She said that the jury had only convicted Kerner on evidence from the girl that was backed up by corroborating evidence from others.

However, she said the jury had found the teacher not guilty of the charges when it was simply the girl's word against his.

Sentencing Kerner, she said: "The jury was not prepared to accept the evidence of the victim not supported with other evidence.

"The jury did not treat her as a reliable witness. She had no compunction in telling lies.

"She pursued you. Her friends said she was stalking you. She hung around where she would be near you. She had been obsessed with you for a long time."