December 2016 Teaching assistant groomed 13-year-old girl after telling her she would ‘make her fall for her’ A teaching assistant groomed a vulnerable girl after telling she would make her “fall for her” a court heard. Leah Roberts, 21, sent the 13-year-old girl a series of sexual text messages, despite knowing how old she was, the court heard. Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that Roberts met the young girl at a youth club before they started messaging each other. During their messages on Whatsapp, Roberts asked if the girl was single, and when she told her she wasn’t, she said she could “change that and make her fall for her.” Martin Hooper, prosecuting, said: “The defendant met the complainant through a third party at a youth club. “They had met in the summer of 2013. She was contacted through whatsapp, and they began to message. “The messages became of a sexual nature,” he continued. “The defendant asked her age, the victim asked her to guess. She then told the defendant. “She was asked if she was single, she said she wasn’t, and the defendant said she could change that and make her fall for her. “They met up on at least five occasions and kissed. “There was one occasion where she tried to put her hand lower on the body of the victim but she stopped her.” Mr Hooper told the court the victim then broke off the relationship, reported it to her school, who then contacted the police Roberts, who has worked for agencies World Class Teachers and Exciting Teaching Sports Coaching, admitted meeting a girl under 16 for sexual grooming but denied non-penetrative sexual activity with the teen. That charge was left on file following her guilty plea to the grooming charge. Judge Oscar Del-Fabbro gave Robert a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years, as well as a restraining order, forbidding her from contacting the victim directly or indirectly. He said: “There was clearly a sexual purpose to your intentions.” Roberts, of Oban Street, Poplar, was also given a 60 day rehabilitation activity requirement, and a two year mental health treatment requirement.
