A MARRIED teacher was warned by his deputy head and other colleagues to keep his distance from a pupil he allegedly later abducted and took to France, a court has heard.
Jeremy Forrest was at the centre of so much gossip about his rumoured friendship with the girl that staff at Bishop Bell Church of England School in Eastbourne, East Sussex, intervened, Lewes Crown Court was told.
Mr Forrest was spoken to by deputy head teacher, Mark Talbot, on March 30 last year amid concerns that he was not heeding the advice.
The court had heard pupils claimed Forrest had shown favouritism to the girl during a school trip to Los Angeles in February last year.
Police were called in but took no action, saying there was no evidence on the girl's mobile phone of a relationship, the court heard.
Mr Talbot told Mr Forrest to make sure he was not alone with the girl to avoid putting himself in a vulnerable position, and to keep his door open.
He said: "He seemed frustrated that the rumours were going around but he seemed very clear to me that there was nothing going on, in his words. He was frustrated by the fact that I was having the conversation with him because other people had previously had the conversation with him.
"He seemed clear about what I was saying in terms of the guidance and I was reassured that he was very clear of his professional boundaries and what he needed to follow."
Mr Forrest, originally from Inverurie, had appeared positive after returning from last year's Easter break and it was agreed that he should speak to Alicja Bobela, the assistant head with responsibilities for child protection on September 20 after a visit by police, Mr Talbot added.
Earlier, Neil Pittman, a colleague, said Mr Forrest had admitted he was aware of rumours the girl had a crush on him and advised him to discuss the situation with colleagues and keep it out in the open.
The trial heard that Mr Forrest described his relationship with his wife as 'not good' and abusive, at which point Mr Talbot offered him support and said he could use a helpline.
Ms Bobela said the police told her they would not seize Mr Forrest's phone after they were called in. She added: "We were left with the idea that we had to follow up the investigation. We didn't know where to begin."
After being confronted about the rumours in July, Ms Bobela said Forrest told her they were not true. The organiser of the Los Angeles trip, teacher Emma Tremaman, said the girl had avoided sanction for alleged misbehaviour after Forrest intervened, saying she had not been involved.
When a police officer and social worker visited the girl's home to speak to her about what was going on, the pair decided to flee the next day. Mr Forrest booked them on a ferry from Dover to Calais on September 20, prosecutors allege.
CCTV recorded them boarding hand in hand at 9.20pm before they arrived in Calais and spent seven days on the run.
In Bordeaux, where Mr Forrest was arrested, bar owner Alison Cummins said she helped police after Mr Forrest applied to work using a bogus CV under the name Jack Francis Dean.
Ms Cummins said he seemed nice. With him was a girl who had dyed black hair and was wearing a low-cut top. Ms Cummins said the girl looked 21 or 22 and Forrest 26 or 27.
The following day she saw a report of the disappearance of Mr Forrest and the girl. She phoned Sussex Police and sent them a picture of the CV Forrest had handed her and officers requested she invite Forrest into the bar.
Ms Cummins later received a telephone call saying that Forrest had been arrested.
Mr Forrest, of Petts Wood, Kent, has pleaded not guilty to child abduction.
The case was adjourned until Monday, when the girl is expected to give evidence.
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