Ex-Southsea teacher who sent naked photos of himself and had sex with pupil is found guilty
A former Southsea teacher who sent naked photos of himself before having sex with a “vulnerable” pupil he relentlessly groomed has been found guilty.
“Selfish” Edward Waller, 66, seduced the “vulnerable” girl before embarking on a sexual relationship with the girl in 2005 when he was a teacher at St Anne's Catholic School in Southampton.
Waller, of Winter Road, Southsea, was convicted of sexual activity with a child and two counts of inciting child sexual activity, all committed by a person in a position of trust.
He was found not guilty of rape and was also cleared of a third count of inciting child sexual activity following a trial at at Portsmouth Crown Court. He will be sentenced on 5 February.
The court heard how the predatory history teacher targeted his victim, aged 16 to 17, who was having “significant issues at home". Then, in order to satisfy his sexual desires, Waller began his campaign of grooming by giving her extra attention, messaging her privately and sending sexual texts and photos. In December 2005, Waller invited the victim to his home where they had sex, prosecutors added.
Julia McSorley, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Edward Waller used his position as a teacher to manipulate and groom a pupil, who was entrusted into his care.
"In the selfish pursuit of his own sexual gratification, he burdened her with the significant and lasting effects of this offending. The impact remains ongoing.
"I want to thank the victim for her courage and bravery in supporting this prosecution and for giving evidence."
The conviction follows a police probe into other former teachers at the school. In October Leo Norman, 46, was jailed for 14 months for sexually abusing three teenage girls between 2014 and 2019.
In November, the trial of the school's former head teacher James Rouse, 49, ended with a hung jury and no verdicts. A decision is yet to be made on whether a retrial will take place.