Girl, 16, says IT tech kissed her

AN Oldham school IT technician hugged and kissed a pupil and sent her suggestive text messages, a court heard yesterday.

Anthony Jennings (39) left the 16-year-old sixth form music prefect feeling “sick, horrible and confused” after he put his arms around her waist, it was alleged.

When she pulled away, Jennings allegedly said: “I’m old enough to be your dad — what am I doing?”

The girl broke down a day after the incident, in November last year, and told a teacher.

Police discovered that Jennings had sent her two inappropriate text messages.

One, referring to her former boyfriend, said: “He wants lots of snogs and wants you to play his oboe — Mr J.”

Another said: “Missed you — see you soon.”

Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, was told that Jennings was not a teacher at the school, which cannot be named for legal reasons, but he helped monitor IT equipment.

Of the first text message, Mark Monaghan, prosecuting, said: “It was a quite inappropriate text with an inappropriate level of sexual innuendo.”

In a video interview, the girl, now 17, told officers she was “naive” when it came to sexual innuendoes adding: “I thought it was sick. I am not like that.”

She said Jennings lent her £1 when she forgot money for a drink.

Jennings asked for her mobile phone number, saying he had accidentally deleted it, and she agreed to give it to him.

At a school open day the girl — who had been acting as guide for parents — encountered Jennings on a staircase while dressed in running shorts. He said: “Nice knees.”

She added: “I sort of laughed it off and didn’t think anything about it.

“Then I got a text message from him saying ‘Missed you — see you soon’. I didn’t know what he meant. I was confused why he kissed me.”

The girl told a classmate about the texts but a few days later reported Jennings after he kissed her in his office.

She told police she had gone to the staff room to tell a teacher she would be late.

But she met Jennings who suggested she went to his office to check the staff timetable.

Once inside, the door closed behind him and he tried to put his arm around her waist.

The girl said: “He kissed and hugged me. It felt horrible. He snogged me on the lips. I was just stood still and he had his arms around my waist.

“It went on for 30 seconds. I felt sick and I walked out. I felt like I had done something wrong. I thought it was my fault.”

Police arrested Jennings last December. He admitted sending the first text message as a joke, and said the second was sent because he had expected to meet up with the girl to talk about school business but he had been caught up in work matters.

Jennings, of Boothroyden Close, Middleton, denies one charge of sexual activity with a child while in a position of trust.

The trial continues.