A DRAMA teacher was today found guilty of grooming a teenage pupil for sex.

Caroline French, 38, was on trial at Preston Crown Court, accused of targeting one of her female pupils while she was a teacher at a secondary school in Blackpool.

French, from Darlington, denied the allegations, claiming she is not gay and that her former pupil was lying.

However, a jury found French guilty of three acts of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a child.

Andrew Nuttall, defending, said a custodial sentence would follow, adding that his client's career is "ruined" and that her "life is in tatters".

During the trial the jury was told French plied the teenage pupil with alcohol as she groomed her for sex.