December 2008 Five years prison for karate teacher who had sex with girl, 14 A karate instructor has been jailed for five years for grooming a 14-year-old girl and having sexual intercourse with her Derek James, 43, began texting the girl and asking her for a Christmas kiss before further inappropriate text messages were sent. He also bought her presents. After a period of initial grooming, James convinced the child to have sexual intercourse on at least two occasions, said prosecutor Rosa Dean, at Luton Crown Court. James was told by Judge Geoffrey Breen: “You instigated that sexual relationship and there was a significant disparity in your ages. You were in a position of trust and had been treated as a family friend. Your conduct indicates a process of grooming.” James, of Rowallan Drive, Bedford, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual activity with a child between December 2007 and April. Miss Dean said the girl’s mother returned home and found them not fully clothed in the bedroom. He had a legitimate reason for being there. Her daughter denied there had been any wrong-doing but later admitted what had been happening. Adam Davies, defending, said: “The most important thing is that he pleaded guilty and she did not have to go through the ordeal of giving evidence.” August 2008 Martial arts instructor admits sex charges with 14-year-old girl A 43-year-old martial arts instructor pleaded guilty on Monday to sex charges relating to a 14-year-old girl. Derek James was due to stand trial at Luton Crown Court but instead entered guilty pleas to two charges, thus avoiding the need for the victim to give evidence to the jury. James, of Rowallan Drive, Bedford, admitted two charges of sexual activity with a child. The allegation is that between December 2007 and April this year he twice had sexual intercourse with the girl knowing she was under 16. James was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in October at Harrow Crown Court. James was a senior instructor at the Freestyle Shotokan Karate Association in Bedford. He also worked as a lunchtime supervisor at Hazeldene Lower School from December 2007 to March this year.