MANSFIELD: Samworth teacher jailed for ‘grooming’ students

Mark Haywood, 23, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court today (Thursday 7th November) to three years and four months in prison after previously pleading guilty to seven counts of sexual activity with a child between 4th-12th July.

He also pleaded guilty today to inciting sexual activity with a child and was sentenced to a further 18 months, to run concurrently.

Haywood, a former teacher at Samworth Church Academy in Mansfield, was seen by police officers in a car with a teenager in the early hours of the morning on 11th July.

The officers noticed items of clothing in the back seat of the car and Haywood was not wearing any shoes.

They took the teenager home and subsequently Haywood, of Walesby Drive, Kirkby, was arrested.

Haywood also used Twitter to contact the youngster along with another teenager who he groomed into having conversations of a sexual nature. He also sent an indecent image and asked for images in return.

He had been working as a newly qualified teacher for just a matter of weeks when the offences came to light.

Det Con Lisa Saporita from the Child Abuse Investigation Unit said: “This was a case which had many challenges due to the teenagers’ initial reluctance to say anything about the relationships they had with Haywood for fear of getting him into trouble.

“This was overcome and they have shown real courage in reporting what happened.

“Haywood was clearly willing to risk his teaching career at the first opportunity he had and used social media to groom his victims to gain their trust in order to satisfy his own sexual desires.”

Haywood will be on the sex offenders register for life and is banned from working with children for life.

A Samworth Church Academy spokesperson said: “We are aware of the sentencing of Mr Haywood today. Mr Haywood has done some occasional casual work for the academy, but has never been a full-time teacher or had a permanent contract with us and as such we feel we are unable to comment further.”