Stuart Kerner, 44, a married religious studies teacher, was given a suspended 18-month jail term after being convicted of an illicit relationship with the 16-year-old student during which the pair had sex at his school in south-east London and at his home.
Judge Joanna Greenberg QC said she was allowing Kerner, a vice principal at Bexleyheath Academy, to walk free after finding his victim had been “stalking” him. Sitting at the Inner London Crown Court, Mrs Justice Greenberg described the teenage victim as “intelligent and manipulative”, adding: “Her friends described her, accurately in my view, as stalking you.
“If grooming is the right word to use, it was she who groomed you [and] you gave in to temptation.”
The remarks by the 63-year-old judge, who has sat on the bench for almost 20 years and last year became a circuit judge – one rank below a place in the High Court – were criticised as “astonishing” by child abuse workers.
Campaigners accused Judge Greenberg of seeking to transfer blame on to the victim when teachers have a legal and professional responsibility to reject any sexual advances from pupils. Jon Brown, lead for tackling sexual abuse with the NSPCC, said: “Despite the alleged pressure that he was under from the girl in question, it’s still a fact that Stuart Kerner grossly abused his position of trust.
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Topical Teaching 
January 16, 2015 at 6:45 pm |
Yes, she is a child at 16. He has a responsibility to care for her. That is a huge disparity in ages as well!