Darlington Nuwertey, a 32-year-old science teacher, has been found guilty of abusing a position of trust by engaging in sexual activity with a teenage girl he taught at Oasis Academy Silvertown in Newham, east London. The conviction followed a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, where a jury acquitted him of nine counts of rape.
Relationship claims and trial evidence
Nuwertey, who maintained the pair were in a "loving and consensual relationship," was convicted on one count of adult abuse of position of trust by engaging in sexual activity with a girl aged 16. During his testimony, he denied any sexual contact with the student, who cannot be named for legal reasons, while he was employed at the school.
He claimed that after he had finished teaching her, the girl reached out to him to say she was actually 18 and her parents had "altered her birth certificate." In the course of the trial, prosecutor Richard Barrington questioned Nuwertey: "You had been her teacher only months before this and you were now willing to enter a sexual relationship with her?"
Schoolgirl's testimony
Nuwertey responded: "(She) provided a certain kind of excitement and in that period of my life where I should have known what I was doing, I should have stood by my wife, I should have spoken to someone about what I was going through emotionally, I didn't do that." He added: "I didn't stop to consider that a few months ago that she was my student."
The schoolgirl testified to jurors that Nuwertey had expressed a desire for her to bear his child, referred to her as his "slave," and claimed that "no-one will ever love me like he did." Nuwertey informed the jury that he would collect the girl from school, and that she was the one who initiated their first sexual encounter at his residence.
Sentencing scheduled
He stated that he "didn't know" that having a relationship with her as her "former teacher" would be unlawful, and refuted any allegations of manipulation. Nuwertey, residing in Bexleyheath, south London, had pleaded not guilty to all charges brought against him. His sentencing is scheduled for November 4.
