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Kandice Barber, 35, of Wendover, Buckinghamshire in England, was found guilty of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity following a trial at Amersham Law Courts
Kandice Barber, 35, was found guilty on January 29 of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity following a retrial and remanded in custody after her bail was denied.
And today she has been given a six year and two month prison sentence.
Barber, of Wendover, Buckinghamshire, had been warned she faced jail after she was found guilty of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
After the verdicts, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Barber had asked to meet the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, outside of school and on one occasion took him to a field where they had sex.
Barber’s offending was described as ‘beyond despicable’ (Picture: PA)
She was convicted in September of sending the boy topless pictures of herself on Snapchat between September and October 2018, but was acquitted of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity while in a position of trust.
During her trial, Amersham Law Courts heard that Barber had told the boy she would “bring him down with her” if the relationship was discovered, and that she was pregnant with his child.
Jurors took 10 hours and 39 minutes to reach their verdicts.
Barber was found not guilty of two further counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
She had sent topless pictures of herself to the boy while she was working as a school cover supervisor.
Due to the “significant” disparity in age between Barber and the boy, among other factors, the court heard at the January hearing the defendant could have faced up to 10 years in prison.
She approached the pupil in September 2018, and took his phone before adding herself to his Snapchat, which the teenager thought was “a bit weird”, Prosecutor Richard Milne said during the trial.
The boy felt “worried and scared” and Barber told him “he should deny everything and should delete all the messages”, said Mr Milne.
Barber had a miscarriage but she warned the boy she would “bring him down with her” if he “snitched”, the court heard.
An NSPCC spokesperson said: “As a teacher, Barber would have been well aware of the vulnerability of young people, and it was her duty to safeguard those in her care.
“But, instead, she exploited her position of trust to groom and abuse this teenage boy for her own sexual gratification.
“Speaking out about child sexual abuse can be extremely challenging for victims and it’s important the victim in this case receives all the support he needs to help him come to terms with what has happened.
