Teacher accused of repeatedly having sex with 'vulnerable' schoolgirl, 14, bursts into tears as she is unanimously cleared of all charges by a jury

A teacher that was accused of repeatedly having sex with a 'vulnerable' pupil sobbed in court after she was unanimously cleared of all charges by a jury on Friday. 

Ellie Pattison, 29, had been accused of befriending a 14-year-old schoolgirl during her time working at a secondary in East Sussex and developing an 'inappropriate relationship' with her outside school. 

Hove Crown Court was told during a two-week trial that Pattison made the teenager, whom she called 'Bubs', believe that she had fallen 'in love' with her. 

Pattison had been charged with three counts of penetrative sexual activity with a girl between the ages of 13 and 15, as well as two further charges of non-penetrative sexual activity on the same girl. 

The offences were said to have taken place between 2017 and 2018, when Pattison was 23-years-old. 

Pattison, who was accompanied in court by a friend, was accused of making the relationship sexual after picking the girl up in her car. They  had been texting and calling each other.

Pattison was arrested and admitted to being close to the girl, but denied that anything sexual had taken place. She told officers: 'No, nothing like this ever happened.' 

On one occasion she was said to have leant over in her car and kissed the 'vulnerable' schoolgirl as she sat in the passenger seat.

When she did not reciprocate she waited a few minutes and then tried again and the girl responded.

When police asked why she kissed her teacher back the girl broke down in tears and said: 'I didn't really have any feeling for her like that before. I didn't want it like that but I didn't want to lose her because she was the only thing I had.'

Hove Crown Court had heard how Pattison was working as a teaching assistant, with extra responsibility for looking after children who were in care. She had been told to look after the teenager and the pair became close. 

It was heard that the two set up cameras in each others bedrooms so that they could communicate at night.