A private school teacher who had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old pupil has been sentenced to 27 months in prison. Nicola Park, 42, admitted engaging in a sexual relationship with the girl while in a position of trust over a period of more than two years.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that Park, who was struggling with her marriage, described the teenager as 'my angel' and allowed her to stay at her home between December 2016 and April 2019. The teacher, who worked as an assistant housemistress and taught maths and social education, exchanged regular emails with the pupil, including on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
The relationship began after the girl complained of feeling 'alone' in December 2016. Park offered support and said the teenager could contact her outside school hours. They met in Glasgow's west end in January 2017, with Park acknowledging they 'probably should not be meeting up'. The pair engaged in sexual acts, and the girl often visited Park's home.
The teenager ended contact when she moved to university, but Park struggled with the breakdown and displayed 'manipulative behaviour', causing the girl to suffer stress, lose weight, and be hospitalised. In September 2020, the girl revealed the relationship to her doctor, leading to a police investigation.
Sheriff John McCormick stated that Park's crime amounted to 'an abuse of trust' and that there was no alternative to a custodial sentence. Park was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and reported as unsuitable to work with children.
