A TEACHER has been jailed for having sex with a pupil after he was caught on CCTV buying drinks for her.

Kevin Rich initially denied having any involvement with the 15-year-old girl and claimed she had a crush on him.

MORE TOP STORIES:

But as Kent Police investigated, they found CCTV footage of him buying drinks for her in a pub where they spent the night playing darts.

The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of abusing a position of trust at Maidstone Crown Court and was sentenced to three years and four months in prison.

Detective Constable Fleur Hardie said: "Rich preyed on a young girl who had been entrusted into his care. He completely abused the position he was privileged to be in for his own self-gratification.

"His victim and other witnesses have been brave in coming forward and helping us to secure this conviction. I hope the sentence will give the victim a sense of closure and allow her to move on with her life."

Rich was ordered not to contact the victim and is required to sign on to the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

A Kent Police spokesman said: "Rich was teaching in a Dartford school when he struck up a friendship with a 15-year-old student.

"The pair exchanged messages via social media sites and on one occasion in June last year he met the girl and had sex with her.

"The offences came to light when a friend of the girl alerted her mother to the relationship."