A Wirral teacher who abused his position to embark on an affair with an infatuated 16-year-old student was jailed for 18 months.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Harri Williams, a father-of-two, had secret meetings in his office with the girl.

They would kiss and fondle each other there as well as meeting for “dates” which eventually led to them having sex.

Kim Egerton, prosecuting, said that the girl had “fancied” Williams for up to two years before the relationship began and she took an opportunity to kiss him when they were seated next to each other at a school prom last year.

Williams, 43, then began taking her bowling, to the cinema and for meals in restaurants before having sex with her in his car.

The girl was said to have “felt excited” and told him she loved him.

Their relationship came to light after the girl told her friends and one of them told her mother, who passed the information to shocked teachers.

Williams, a department head, tried to brazen things out insisting he could prove they were not together but even after he was suspended he carried on having a sexual relationship with her.

After he was arrested Williams made full admissions to police.

The court heard that the girl refused to give a victim impact statement, but did say: “I now think that what he did was wrong but he did not force me to do anything I did not want to do or tell me to keep anything secret.”

He pleaded guilty to seven charges of sexual activity with a child while in a position of authority, and one charge of inciting sexual activity.

Lawrence Lee, defending, said:, “No sentence will compare to his self-imposed sentence. He has lost his career and damaged his life. He was born to teach and all that has been taken away.”

Williams, of Northcote Road, Wallasey Village, was said to have told his probation officer: “There are no excuses. I crossed the line. In the cold light of day I knew what I was doing. I was old enough to be her father. I will fall on my sword. I will be struck off.”

Judge Thomas Teague, QC, told him, “She was clearly infatuated with you. I’m afraid you used your position to take advantage of that fact. It was she who initiated that contact, holding hands with you at a school event.

"You engaged in sexual contact with her in your office on school premises. You continued to see her even after you were suspended. As you said you were old enough to be her father.

“You were an academically excellent teacher who achieved excellent results. It’s very sad to see somebody in your position with their career at an end. You’ve lost your job."

He jailed Williams for 18 months and ordered him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years.