Teacher Mark Fidler, 49m, pictured, was jailed for 22 months after admitting having a sexual relationship with a student
A long-serving teacher whose sexual relationship with a pupil was discovered when a colleague found sordid pictures in his desk has been jailed for almost two years.
Mark Fidler, who was removed from his post at Belper School in Derbyshire last year, wept in the dock as he was handed the 22-month sentence.
The 49-year-old father had worked at the comprehensive since 1993, becoming head of music in 2002.
But last year he started a sexual relationship with a female pupil – who cannot be named – which was exposed when pictures of her in her underwear were found in a drawer in his office.
Nottingham Crown Court heard Fidler had previously been seen alone with the girl in his classroom and he later admitted they had been on trips away and that he bought her underwear, jewellery and clothes.
He pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a girl while in a position of trust and possessing 13 indecent images and videos of the victim at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court last month.
A court order initially prevented the school from being named but was overturned after the media successfully argued it was in the public interest.
Sentencing, Judge Steven Coupland said: ‘You had been a teacher for more than a quarter of a century and head of music for a number of years.
‘You were in a position of responsibility and knew what the rules were about sexual contact with pupils. Your teacher’s ethos must have told you about that.’
He added: ‘You should have taken steps to distance yourself from her but instead you moved closer.
‘She gave no victim statement but the reality is the damage this has caused her is impossible to quantify.’
Fidler had worked at Belper School in Derbyshire, pictured, since 1993 and was sacked last December after an internal investigation
Fidler, of Heanor, Derbyshire, was dismissed from his role in December 2018 following an internal investigation.
Miss Summers said: ‘After being dismissed, a colleague was looking in the defendant’s office drawers and found a memory stick which contained pictures of the victim topless and in her underwear.
‘He was arrested and candid, saying the lines had become blurred and that they were seeing each other three times a week.
‘He said she had stayed over at his home, they had been away together that he had bought her gifts such as jewellery, clothes and underwear.’
Miss Summers said that, as part of the police investigation, Fidler’s phone had been seized and it was discovered he had been Googling whether what he and the victim were doing was illegal or not.
She said the victim was interviewed by the police and admitted she and Fidler had been involved in a sexual relationship.
Andrew Wesley, mitigating at the sentencing hearing in Nottingham, said his client has children of his own who he now no longer sees and has no previous convictions of any kind.
He said he started suffering depression following the break-up of his relationship with his former partner.
He previously admitted sexual activity with a girl while in a position of trust and Nottingham Crown Court, pictured, heard he Googled if their relationship was illegal
Mr Wesley said: ‘It was when there was nothing left to hide that he co-operated with the police.
‘He is fundamentally an honest man who lost sight of his responsibilities as a teacher and an adult.’
Speaking after sentencing, Martyn Cooper, head teacher at Belper School, said: ‘This is a very serious matter.
‘Following reports of inappropriate behaviour the school worked closely with the police and the local authority designated safeguarding officer to ensure that all appropriate action was taken in respect of this matter.
‘I wish to reassure parents and the wider community that pupils’ wellbeing is of paramount importance to us.
‘This matter has been fully investigated and there is no evidence to suggest that any other pupils were put at risk.
‘Mark Fidler no longer works at the school.’