Ex-soldier jailed for assaulting teen girl in Norfolk

Former Soldier and Teacher Sentenced for Sexual Offenses

Simon Taylor, a soldier-turned-teacher, has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for sexually assaulting a teenage girl and sending her nude pictures.

While working at Hethersett Academy in Norfolk, Taylor “targeted” and groomed the young girl.

The 43-year-old lost his leg in Afghanistan after a roadside bomb hit his vehicle in 2009.

Details of the Offenses

Taylor contacted the girl through the school’s messaging system to demand sex. He threatened to harm her if she did not send him images and groped her in a car while she was still a pupil.

He pleaded guilty to five offenses, including sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust. He also admitted to two counts of sexual communication with a child and two counts of sexual assault.

Sentencing Remarks

Judge Andrew Shaw stated, “You groomed her, you manipulated her, you sent her indecent images of your genitalia.” He recognized Taylor’s military service but noted no identifiable link between his PTSD and his decision to offend.

Duration of Abuse

The court heard that Taylor preyed on the girl for over two years, even after she left the school. He touched her thigh under her skirt at school and groped her breasts afterward.

Prosecutor Isobel Ascherson said he “wanted to have sex with [the girl] and wanted to meet outside school.” He made her feel that he was the only one who cared for her.

Victim’s Statement and Legal Consequences

When the girl reported the abuse in 2022, Taylor confessed to his wife about his actions. In an emotional statement, the victim said, “My childhood was stolen from me. I never had the chance to be a normal teenager.”

In addition to his prison sentence, Taylor must sign the Sex Offenders’ Register and is subject to a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He is also barred from contacting the girl or her parents and from working with children.