Headteacher: Anne Lakey (pictured today) has been disgraced
after a jury
at Teesside Crown Court found her
guilty of having sex with a
13-year-old boy
- Anne Lakey, 54, groomed vulnerable boy when she was history teacher
- Aged in her 20s, she took his virginity after letting him watch her bathe
- She had glittering career and was praised for turning round failing school
- But victim sent accusing email to school in 2012 and she was suspended
A
headteacher who was once hailed as a ‘visionary leader’ by the
Department for Education is now facing jail, having been disgraced after
a jury convicted her of having sex with a 13-year-old boy in the 1980s.
Anne
Lakey, 54, groomed the vulnerable boy when she was a history teacher in
her late 20s and took his virginity after letting him watch her bathe, a
jury at Teesside Crown Court has found.
She
went on to have a glittering career and was praised for turning round a
failing school, turning it into one of the most improved in the
country. She became a leader in advising others on how to get better
results.
But
her predatory past came back to haunt her in 2012 when her victim sent
an accusing email to her school, causing her to be suspended and the
police to investigate.
The
jury convicted the three-times married mother-of-one, who is from
Stanley, County Durham, of four charges of indecent assault and two of
indecency with a child.
The complainant, who was not a pupil of hers, was one of a group of boys who would visit her marital home.
Over time she would see him alone at her house and became flirtatious towards him, despite the age gap.
They played a dare game and she allowed him to fondle her breasts. Other times she would let him chat to her as she bathed.
After
one such occasion she took his virginity while he was still in his
school uniform. Their sexual relationship continued for some months and
also involved sex acts, he said.
When
he played truant to spend time with her, Lakey would phone his school
pretending to be his mother and explain that he was ill.
The
teenager went on to have a troubled life and in part blamed some of his
issues on Lakey, once trapping her in the bedroom when he wanted to
break off their relations. On that occasion he had to force his way out
of her home.
She
was married to her second husband at the time and the boy had to hide
in a cupboard once when they were almost caught in bed together.
'Visionary': Lakey, pictured in
November 2003, came to prominence
when she became chief executive of the
Durham Federation of Schools
She
was named in a DfE pamphlet as a ‘visionary leader’, described as
‘inspiring’ by Sir Michael Wilshaw, the chief inspector of education,
and appointed on the National Leaders of Education body which helps
struggling schools.
On
the one hand, I was happy with my little self that I managed to lose my
virginity before I was 16, which seemed really important at the time
Victim
But
her career was brought to an abrupt halt when the boy she had abused 25
years ago, now a father himself, was looking on the internet and came
across a web page which featured her.
He was sickened when he read her claims that she always put the interests of young people first.
He
sent an accusing email to her school, describing how she had seduced
him when he was only 13 and how he now thought of her as a ‘disgusting
sexual monster’.
She was suspended and a police investigation began, leading to her final fall from grace after a seven-day trial.
Despite
telling police she regarded the boy back then as ‘obnoxious’, it
emerged she let him visit her house when she was out so he could care
for her pets.
Caroline Goodwin, prosecuting, said this was evidence of her grooming.
The
younger complainant branded her a ‘disgusting sexual monster’ in an
email to her school which sparked her suspension and the police
investigation.
He claimed she took his virginity when he was 13 and told police they repeatedly had sex at her home in the marital bed.
She
asked him to call her ‘mommy’ and rang his school pretending to be his
mother when he was playing truant to be with her, he said.
In
his email he named a second victim, who also cannot be identified for
legal reasons, and that individual told police he was also abused by
Lakey.
That
second, older complainant said Lakey took his virginity in a tent after
she encouraged him to creep over in the middle of the night.
He recalled after the ‘tumultuous night’ he felt a mixture of emotions.
‘On
the one hand, I was happy with my little self that I managed to lose my
virginity before I was 16, which seemed really important at the time,’
he said.
‘On
the other hand, everything was over so quickly. It should have been a
bit more interesting than that. It was a bit of a confusing mix of
emotions as I left the tent.’
Everything
was over so quickly. It should have been a bit more interesting than
that. It was a bit of a confusing mix of emotions as I left the tent
Victim
He said they had sex regularly at her home after that.
When
the police began investigating the younger complainant's accusing
email, Lakey rang him out of the blue to persuade him to lie to
detectives.
The
complainant recalled: ‘The delivery was like A Level psychology 101.
There was the initial “My poor father, lost my mother” - a trump card to
play.
‘There
was 'my career, my daughter, my husband. I've definitely not had sex
with any other children since' was mentioned early on.
‘It was laid on thick, emotionally at the start, towards the end there was flattery alongside that.’
Ms Goodwin asked how he felt about what happened to him.
‘The phone call really summed up the whole thing,’ he said.
‘Here
is somebody who has not spoken to me for 20 years who thought she could
get me to pick up the phone and lie to the police, 20 years after.
‘If that doesn't give you an idea of the control she had over us lads, I don't know what would.’
It
can now be reported that she was tried last year at Durham Crown Court
charged in connection with this younger man's allegations, and a jury
was eventually discharged after failing to reach verdicts.
A
retrial was ordered and the older man's allegations were added to the
indictment, with this hearing taking place at Teesside Crown Court.
As
the majority verdicts were given on the 13 charges Lakey became
emotional and stared towards her family as she gripped the dock with
both hands.
The jury took three days to reach their decision after being sent out on Friday.
These
men were children at the time, and became vulnerable victims of sexual
abuse at the hands of a woman who had some power and responsibility for
them
Detective Inspector Aelf Sampson, of Durham Constabulary
Judge
Howard Crowson said the type of sentence he would hand down would
inevitably be imprisonment, but as an act of mercy he would allow her
bail until sentencing tomorrow.
‘I have never given bail to someone at this stage before but I'm only doing it because of your father,’ he said.
After
the case, Detective Inspector Aelf Sampson, of Durham Constabulary,
said: ‘This case involved two male victims who reported being the
victims of sexual abuse in the late 1980s.
‘They
both have a clear memory of what happened to them when they were
children, corroborated by friends who they told at the time and over
later years.
‘These
men were children at the time, and became vulnerable victims of sexual
abuse at the hands of a woman who had some power and responsibility for
them.
‘She
was someone who was respected and seen as successful by the community.
These boys should have been safe in her company, instead of being
damaged by their experience.
‘Regardless
of whether these boys appear to have been willing participants in the
offences, they could not consent by law to what happened. The law is
there to protect victims.
‘Durham
Constabulary will continue to support these victims with our partner
agencies, as we do for all victims of recent or non- recent sexual
abuse.
‘The
guilty verdict today supports this approach from within the wider
criminal justice system and I urge other victims of sexual abuse to
report their crimes to the police so the appropriate action can be taken
and support offered.’
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