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Tuesday, 29 August, 2000, 14:59 GMT 15:59 UK
Teacher jailed for sex with pupil
The former head of religious studies at an independent school has been jailed for having
sex with a 15-year-old pupil.
Stephen Tapply became involved with the girl at Gresham's School in Holt, Norfolk, earlier
this year.
He pleaded guilty to three charges of having sex with an underage girl, and asked for
three similar offences to be taken into consideration.
Judge Simon Barham, sitting at Norwich Crown Court, told Tapply he had no option but to
pass a custodial sentence.
He said the 43-year-old would serve half his sentence and be required to place his name on
the Sex Offenders' Register.
Tapply, of Holt, has been in custody since he was charged in May, and is likely to be
released in November.
'Technically engaged'
Earlier this year, magistrates in Cromer, Norfolk, heard that the teacher had become
involved with the girl amid fears that she had been harming herself.
He had offered her counselling, and had told her parents he would keep an eye on her, and
develop strategies for dealing with her problems.
But the pair became involved in a sexual relationship.
Tapply told police that he had had sexual intercourse with the girl, who was 16 in May, on
a number of occasions.
He continued the relationship despite a warning from the school's headmaster, and after
police became involved he continued to telephone the pupil and sent text messages to her.
Tapply told police that he and the girl were "technically engaged" and would
have a future together when she left school.
Family 'disappointed'
Passing sentence, Judge Barham told Tapply: "You counselled her because she was a
vulnerable child about whom there were concerns.
"As a result you were in a position of very great authority."
He said he had been given a number of letters supporting Tapply from the teacher's former
colleagues, pupils and parents of pupils.
But he said Tapply had lost his good name and was unlikely to teach again.
The family of the girl who had been involved in the relationship with Tapply said after
the hearing they were disappointed by the sentence.
"How can a man teach ethics yet manipulate an innocent child?" a spokesman said.
"She is very distressed at what has happened to her and we feel in the circumstances
it will be some time before we come to terms with it."