A married schoolteacher who seduced a 16-year-old pupil into a regular sexual relationship has been spared jail.

Jacqueline Marks admitted six counts of sexual activity while in a position of trust.

The 33-year-old from The Beacons in Stevenage, who is head of maths at a Welwyn Garden City secondary school, was rumbled after the teenager’s girlfriend discovered intimate text messages from the teacher on his iPad.

Marks, who was given a nine-month suspended prison sentence when she appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday, said she would have ended the relationship earlier than she did – but didn’t want to upset the boy before his GCSE exams.

Marks, who will be under probation supervision for two years, is also banned from working with male children and will be on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

For the full story see this week’s Comet.