Sandrine Brown

Sandrine Brown, a 31-year-old physical education teacher from Coventry, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for sexually abusing two teenage girls while in a position of trust. The offences, which spanned from 2008 to 2011, involved grooming the victims—aged between 13 and 17 at the time—through an internet messaging site and exploiting her role at Finham Park School, where she worked since 2006.

The court heard that Brown befriended one of the victims online before engaging in sexual activity with her in a school store room. Further incidents occurred at Brown's home, in a car, and at a hotel. Brown pleaded guilty to one charge of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity while in a position of trust, and five counts of sexual activity with a child. She contested the prosecution's claim that she had been in bed with both girls simultaneously, but the guilty pleas stood on that basis.

At Warwick Crown Court, Judge Richard Griffith-Jones described the case as a tragedy, particularly for the victims who were 'young girls at the time that they were sexually abused by you.' He highlighted Brown's 'gross breach of trust' and the 'weak and self-indulgent' manner in which she took advantage of the girls, noting that she had been 'blessed with intelligence and athleticism and sensitivity' yet abused her responsible position as a teacher. The judge stated he had no option but to send her to prison due to the severity of the offences and their impact on the victims.

• Offences committed: Six child sex offences between 2008 and 2011.
• Locations: Brown's home, a car, a hotel, and a school store room.
• Victims' ages: 13 to 17 years old.

In a victim impact statement, one complainant expressed feeling 'groomed into thinking that she was gay when she had never looked at the same sex in that way before,' underscoring the profound psychological harm inflicted. Brown's defence barrister, Lee Marklew, noted that she had no previous convictions, suffered from depression, had undergone counselling, and was socially isolated during the period of the offences. He conveyed Brown's wish for the victims to find 'closure and some peace' after the case.

In addition to the custodial sentence, Brown was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order. The case was heard at Warwick Crown Court, with details reported by the BBC based on court proceedings.