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| Head teacher Anne Lakey jailed for sex with boys | Head teacher Anne Lakey jailed for sex with boys |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| A nationally-acclaimed head teacher who had sex with two under-age boys has been jailed for eight years. | A nationally-acclaimed head teacher who had sex with two under-age boys has been jailed for eight years. |
| Anne Lakey, 55, from Stanley, County Durham, was found guilty on Tuesday of 13 counts of indecent assault on the teenagers in the 1980s. | Anne Lakey, 55, from Stanley, County Durham, was found guilty on Tuesday of 13 counts of indecent assault on the teenagers in the 1980s. |
| Teesside Crown Court heard she took one boy's virginity at her home and the other's in a tent on a camping trip. | Teesside Crown Court heard she took one boy's virginity at her home and the other's in a tent on a camping trip. |
| Lakey, described as a "sexual predator" by prosecutors, had denied committing the offences over a three-year period. | Lakey, described as a "sexual predator" by prosecutors, had denied committing the offences over a three-year period. |
| One victim was 15, while the other was aged 13 or 14 at the time he was first assaulted. | |
| 'Sexually exploited' | |
| During sentencing on Wednesday, the court heard Lakey's offending was a "gross breach of trust". | During sentencing on Wednesday, the court heard Lakey's offending was a "gross breach of trust". |
| Prosecutor Caroline Goodwin read statements to the court written by both men about their experiences. | Prosecutor Caroline Goodwin read statements to the court written by both men about their experiences. |
| The younger victim said: "As a kid I thought it was great what was happening, but now I see it for what it was - wrong." | The younger victim said: "As a kid I thought it was great what was happening, but now I see it for what it was - wrong." |
| The other said he had since realised he had been a "victim of sexual exploitation". | The other said he had since realised he had been a "victim of sexual exploitation". |
| "I feel a sense of shame that I allowed myself to be in that position," he said. | "I feel a sense of shame that I allowed myself to be in that position," he said. |
| Sentencing, judge Howard Crowson told Lakey: "You used subtle persuasion and flattery, encouraging each boy to take his first tentative sexual steps with you. | |
| "You corrupted two boys about half your age. They were naive and immature." | |
| 'Career destroyed' | |
| Lakey was suspended from her role as chief executive of the Durham Federation, in charge of two secondary schools, after the younger victim sent an accusing email in December 2012. | |
| She had been a national leader in education, lauded for improving pupils' exam performance. | |
| Judge Crowsen told Lakey her sentence would "destroy the career you have worked so hard to build". | |
| "You will find prison a particular hardship, given the illness you have battled against," he added. | |
| Tim Roberts QC, defending, said Lakey had received treatment for breast cancer in 2012 and would require ongoing care. | |
| During her trial, the court heard she groomed the younger victim and took his virginity on the marital bed while he was still in his school uniform. | |
| She also phoned the boy's school and posed as his mother to enable him to play truant. | |
| The older victim and Lakey first had sex in her tent after she encouraged him to sneak over in the middle of the night, jurors were told. | |
| Lakey, a history and RE teacher in Sunderland at the time, went on to have repeated sexual relations with both boys. |