Simon Taylor, 43, who lost his leg in an Afghan bomb blast, admitted five offences including sexual activity with a child by a person in position of trust at Norwich Crown Court
A former soldier who became a teacher after losing his leg in Afghanistan has been jailed for sexually assaulting a teenage girl. Simon Taylor, an army veteran who had part of his right leg amputated following a roadside bomb attack in 2009, later pursued a career in education.
The 43-year-old was employed at Hethersett Academy in Norfolk, where he began his offences against the teenage victim, Norwich Crown Court was told. Judge Andrew Shaw, during sentencing, stated that Taylor “targeted” the girl, adding: “You groomed her, you manipulated her, you sent her indecent images of your genitalia.”
He also noted that Taylor sent the girl “messages detailing some of the sexual acts you hoped to perform on her”.
Taylor previously pleaded guilty to five charges, including sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust after touching the girl’s thigh under her skirt at school. He also admitted to two counts of sexual communication with a child, and two counts of sexual assault – touching the girl’s breasts in his car, once while she was a student and once after she had left the school.
The judge highlighted that the girl had “suffered severe psychological harm”. Addressing Taylor, he said: “I acknowledge immediately your service to your country and the wider world in the Armed Forces and note with sadness that you were severely injured by an improvised explosive device that ultimately led to the amputation of one of your legs.”
However, the judge stated he could “see no identifiable link between your PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and your decision” to commit the offences.
Taylor received a prison sentence of four years and six months, displaying no emotion as he was escorted to the cells.
The defendant was also required to register as a Sex Offender, placed under a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and issued with a restraining order preventing contact with the victim or her parents or visiting their home.
Additionally, he was banned from employment involving children.
Prosecutor Isobel Ascherson told the court during Monday’s opening of the two-day hearing that the criminal behaviour lasted over two years and persisted even after the pupil had left the school.
She explained that Taylor had manipulated the girl into believing “think that he was the only one who cared or could help her or would help her”.
The barrister revealed that the married father, now residing in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, would communicate with the victim through the school’s messaging system, subsequently removing evidence by deleting their conversations.
Ms Ascherson told the court that Taylor “wanted to have sex with (the girl) and wanted to meet outside school”.
The prosecutor disclosed that Taylor threatened self-harm unless the girl provided him with photographs. The victim contacted police about Taylor in 2022 and also “told his wife what he had done to her”, Ms Ascherson revealed.
Delivering her victim impact statement to the court on Monday, the girl declared: “My childhood was stolen from me. I never had the chance to be a normal teenager.”
Richard English KC stated in mitigation that Taylor “accepts he has caused real and great harm”.