AN inexperienced teacher was yesterday jailed for 18 months for indecently assaulting a 15-year-old pupil he befriended.

Michael Craig Rosher, 37, of previous good character, came into contact with the girl, who has mild learning difficulties, months into his first teaching job.

Durham Crown Court was told he was switched in his role, at a school in the county, from teaching younger children to taking older teenagers.

John Gillette, prosecuting, said he began paying her "particular attention", sitting next to her on one occasion and rubbing her legs.

He struck up telephone contact with her and after her mother complained following one of the calls, not knowing who he was, they continued to send increasingly "inappropriate" text messages to each other.

The first offence took place when Rosher sent the girl to tidy a classroom cupboard and joined her there where he indecently touched her.

Mr Gillette said it was repeated on further occasions, in the cupboard, and the text messages also carried on until the Christmas holiday.

Rosher also bought her a bracelet as a Christmas gift.

Mr Gillette said it came to light after she told her parents, a complaint was made to the school, and subsequently to the police.

Anne Richardson, mitigating, said that while nothing could excuse his actions: "It presents as a total aberration, a moment of madness in an otherwise unblemished career."

Rosher, of Tunstall Road, Richmond, admitted two charges of indecent assault and one of committing an act of gross indecency.

Jailing him, Judge Tim Hewitt told Rosher he breached the trust placed in him as a teacher. Rosher was also placed on the sex offenders' register for ten years and banned from teaching.