Mark Hannah, 41 (mugshot pictured) originally from Kent, sent explicit messages to the Year 9 pupil between September and October last year
A deputy housemaster at a top private school has been jailed after he was caught having a 'cyber affair' with a 15-year-old pupil.
Mark Hannah, 41, originally from Kent, started messaging the Year 9 student on Instagram after she asked to join his after-school basketball club.
Between September and October last year the geography and geology teacher sent her messages saying she was beautiful and he wanted to 'tie her up with a ribbon'.
He said he would be the 'happiest man on earth' if he could quit his job and they could be together.
But he was found out when the teenager told her classmate, who informed her mother and raised the alarm.
He was today jailed for three months at Preston Crown Court after admitting inciting an underage girl to engage in sexual activity and make indecent images.
Police enquiries revealed he dated a 17-year-old girl at the age of 33 had and taken pictures of her. These were found to be consensual.
Hannah, who taught at a top private school in Lancashire, blamed his actions on working 'long hours with no recognition at work but a judge told him that his actions 'undermined trust in the teaching profession.'
Prosecutor, Paul Cummings, said: 'The defendant was a Geography teacher and the victim was a 15 year old pupil there at the time.
'Contact began with the pupil when she sent an email message enquiring about after school basketball and the defendant was responsible for the running of that.
'The defendant responded and then a subsequent email exchange began between the two of them.
'They then starts to communicate over Instagram and, during the course of sending these messages, it became apparent that he was making inappropriate comments.
'On one occasion, she broke her finger and then he sent her an email with a picture of a plaster cast.
'On another occasion, he asked if he could give her some chocolate.
He was today jailed for three months at Preston Crown Court (pictured) after admitting inciting an underage girl to engage in sexual activity and make indecent images
But, he then told her that she looked beautiful and how she had stood out to him since she was in year 9.
'He said that he would like to take her out for meals and walks. On another occasion, he said he would like to take a bath with her, tie her up with a ribbon and touch her sexually. On another occasion, he told her that she had a nice belly.
'He said he would be the happiest man on earth if they could stop hiding their feelings and he could quit his job.
'The complainant shared some of these messages with her friend and, as a result, her friend's mother became aware of this contact.
'She contacted the complainant's parents and they went to the school to confront this man.
'The defendant was arrested and interviewed in October 2017, and he admitted the exchange of messages.
'They took place over a period of two weeks prior to his arrest.
'The charge of making indecent images is an entirely separate
