A female assistant headteacher has been jailed for sexually abusing a student at school.

Catherine Pearl was formerly employed by Didcot Girls’ School, in Oxfordshire where she was found to have abused her position of trust after having sexual activity with a young girl on school premises.

Pearl, of Abingdon, was handed a jail sentence of 28 months at Oxford Crown Court after she was convicted on two counts of sexual activity with a girl on at least 10 occasions for each charge.

The crown court heard that Pearl and the girl became ‘very close’ and eventually the conversations became sexual. 

They entered a sexual relationship when the girl reached 16, which continued for several years. 

Pearl first sexually touched the girl behind a hill in Didcot while she the minor was under a blanket, having requested her to wear ‘short shorts’, the court heard.

The sexual activity took place on several more occasions, including at bars, at Pearl’s home and even on school grounds or near other students to the extend they ‘began to feel normal’, the victim told the court.

Pearl’s offences were reported to Thames Valley Police in 2023, following which a thorough investigation was carried out by the force’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit.

Assistant teacher Catherine Pearl (pictured) was sentenced to 28 months in prison after being found to have sexually abused a girl on school premises

The assistant headteacher was arrested and questioned in August 2023, before being charged on October 10 last year. 

Over the weekend concerns were raised that the school hadn’t deleted social media posts featuring pictures of her after she was jailed.

Today headteacher Georgina Littler confirmed the posts had been deleted.

During the sentencing, Judge Nott said: ‘This was not some teenage school girl crush…. this was targeted abuse of a vulnerable person.

‘I can’t think of a more gross abuse of trust. You had sex with her everywhere, at school, at your home, in bars… you were taking risks.

Pearl was found to have abused her position of trust while working at Didcot Girls’ School in Oxfordshire (pictured)

‘Remorse? I don’t see it. You’re not sorry for what you’ve done to [the girl]. That’s the reality of the paperwork I’ve read.’

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Sarah Tibble of the child abuse investigation unit, said: ‘I would like to commend the victim in this case, who has shown such bravery in coming forward to report the offences and put her trust in Thames Valley Police to bring Catherine Pearl to justice.

‘If you are a victim, or have any suspicions about a crime no matter when it took place please contact Thames Valley Police.

‘We have specially trained officers who will always listen and support you. You can contact us via our website, by calling 101 or visiting a police station.’