A TEACHING assistant who had sex with a 14-year-old pupil in a Wilko car park has been jailed for six years.

Hannah Harris, 23 – who worked at a school in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire – posed as the mum of her victim's girlfriend to hide their relationship.

Harris was today jailed for six years after being found guilty of sexual activity with a child. The ex-teaching assistant had denied the charges.

Her dad Jason earlier told the Sun she "just wanted to help" when she started working at the school in 2018.

Harris had sex with the boy in a Wilko car park after posing as the mum of his fictional girlfriend – who she named "Kayla" – to speak to his parents.

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She said her name was Olivia and she lived in Baldock, Hertfordshire.

In one text Harris wrote: "Seems Kayla and …(the boy) are getting on well, so I am happy to ferry them around."

Harris was caught in January 2020 when the boy’s older brother found out.

The boy admitted "Olivia" and "Kayla" were fictional.

Harris, from Henlow, Bedfordshire, denied four charges of sexual activity with a child in December 2019 and January 2020.

She was found not guilty on three of the four charges.

They were alleged to have taken place twice on Dunstable Downs and once at her home.

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Prosecutor Simon Wilshire told St Albans Crown Court: “Both parents believed they had spoken to Olivia on the phone and his mum had exchanged texts."

He said: "When the parents became aware, they realised they had unwittingly facilitated the contact.

"They had been duped by the boy into the belief he was seeing someone of his own age.”

He went on: “As a teaching assistant at his school she (Harris) would have known his age – such activity is a criminal offence regardless of whether he believed himself to be a willing party.”

SICK CRIMES

Sentencing Harris today, Judge Caroline Wigin told her: “He was particularly vulnerable.

“At the school in November 2019 you were warned about inappropriate discussions with pupils.

"It was clear you were someone who sought to identify with the pupils rather than staff members

“In early January 2020 a friend warned you it was being said you fancied (the boy). You told her that was not true.

“On January 10 you were warned by a member of staff who had observed you with a pupil acting as if you were a couple of teenagers and flirting. You had been play fighting.

“You disregarded all the warnings you had.

"He found you attractive and sent you messages [on] social media.

"You were aware any such messages should have been reported to senior staff.

“Having had some response from you, he was enthusiastic to pursue what he saw was a relationship.

"You groomed him. You took him in your car for trips, took him to the supermarket, bought his favourite sweets, bought him ice cream and took him to McDonalds.

"You smoked cannabis he had purchased in your car."

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The judge told Harris her actions amounted to grooming.

She must register as a sex offender for life and is banned from ever working with children.

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