JEREMY FORREST FROM EASTBOURNE SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES AND CHILD ABDUCTION IN FRANCE

In a high-profile case that has shocked the community of Eastbourne, teacher Jeremy Forrest has been sentenced to a total of five and a half years in prison following his conviction for serious sexual offences and child abduction. The incident, which involved a 15-year-old pupil from Bishop Bell C of E School, unfolded over a period of months and culminated in Forrest taking the girl out of the country to France, an act that led to his arrest and subsequent legal proceedings.

Forrest, aged 30 at the time, was initially not charged with sexual offences due to legal complications related to his extradition from France. However, he was convicted of child abduction by a jury after an eight-day trial that concluded on a Thursday. The jury's decision was swift, taking less than two hours to find Forrest guilty of abducting the girl and taking her abroad without her guardians' consent.

During the court proceedings, Forrest displayed a stoic demeanor, but moments before the verdict was announced, he turned to the girl and uttered, “I love you.” The girl, visibly distressed, responded with tears and a simple, “I am sorry,” as she was led away from the courtroom back to the detention cells.

The court heard that Forrest had befriended the girl when she was just 14 years old. Over the following months, as she approached her 15th birthday, he groomed her for sexual activity. The relationship began with her seeking his help for personal issues, which Forrest exploited to deepen their connection. The grooming process involved manipulation and emotional dependency, which eventually led to sexual encounters.

It was revealed that Forrest would pick up the girl in her school uniform, and their sexual activities took place in various locations, including his car, hotels, and his marital home. The girl confided in a friend that they had engaged in sexual acts up to eight times in a single night. Additionally, Forrest sent her indecent images of himself, showing his naked torso with his hands down his underpants, to which she responded by sending pictures of her naked breasts.

The court was also informed that Forrest took the girl to France in an attempt to evade detection and prosecution. This act of child abduction was a significant factor in his sentencing. Judge Michael Lawson QC sentenced Forrest to four and a half years for the sexual offences and an additional year for the abduction, with the sentences to run consecutively. The judge emphasized the damaging impact of Forrest’s actions, stating that his behavior was driven by self-interest and had caused harm to many, including the girl’s family, his own family, staff, and pupils at Eastbourne’s Bishop Bell School.

Judge Lawson also issued a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (Sopo), which prohibits Forrest from working or volunteering with children and from having any unsupervised contact with minors for the foreseeable future. The court’s verdict underscores the serious nature of Forrest’s crimes and the lasting consequences for all involved, especially the vulnerable victim from Eastbourne who was manipulated and exploited by her former teacher.