Bexleyheath Academy assistant vice-principal Stuart Kerner has been found guilty of having a sexual relationship with a teenage pupil.

Married Kerner, 44, now faces prison after Inner London Crown Court heard he had sex with the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at school and at his home during their illicit affair when she was 16.

Jurors heard the religious studies teacher took her virginity on a yoga mat in an empty room at the school in Woolwich Road, the same week his wife miscarried their second child.

Prosecutor Warwick Tatford told the court that what started out as a schoolgirl crush when the girl was 15, turned into a full-blown 18-month affair in March 2011 that was eventually discovered in 2013.

Father-of-one Kerner, whose wife was by his side at court throughout the trial, appeared stunned as the verdict was read out.

His wife left the room and screamed in anguish.

The defence claimed the girl made the whole thing up, creating a fantasy from details she picked up about Kerner's personal life from overheard conversations, assemblies, calendars and photos on his iPad.

They maintained she was a “proven liar” who “stalked” the married teacher.

But after a trial which began on November 18 and lasted more than two weeks, Kerner was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.

The jury of six men and six women took six hours and 11 minutes to reach their verdicts.

They were both majority verdicts of 11-1 and 10-2.

He was found not guilty on four counts of the same offence and two counts of sexual activity with a child.

Judge Joanna Greenberg QC warned Kerner that all sentencing options remained open.

Kerner, of Russett Close, Aylesford, was granted bail until sentencing on January 14.

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