School support worker Michael Commettant is jailed

Michael Commettant, 27, was working as a learning behaviour mentor at an unnamed school in south London when he struck up a relationship with a teenage girl. 

When the school reported concerns Commettant was arrested and his home was searched. 

Metropolitan Police detectives discovered he had been communicating with the victim via a secret email account which he had used to hide messages he had sent to her. 

Examination of his phone records revealed he had called the victim multiple times from a withheld number. 

When interviewed he remained silent and issued a prepared statement denying that he ever forced her to commit sexual acts. 

Last September he pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity by a person in a position of trust. 

At Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday (April 17) Commettant, of St Lawrence Way in Camberwell, was jailed for 18 months. 

When he released he will be on the sex offenders register for 10 years. 

Michael Commettant (Image: Met Police)

Detective Constable Isa Hemphrey, who led the investigation and supported the victim and her family during the court process, said: "I am very pleased with the decision of the court to jail this man, who committed an utterly disgraceful abuse of trust. 

“This individual was entrusted to support children and instead of honouring this vital role, he chose to ignore all professional boundaries and enter into a wholly inappropriate sexual relationship with a teenager. 

“His conduct was appalling and he quite rightly will never be able to work with children again. 

“I am grateful to my team and to all my colleagues who worked tirelessly and professionally to give this case the time and energy it deserved. I hope that this result helps the victim and her family in their journey to recover and move on from this experience. 

“Most of all, I hope that this case will encourage anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation to the victim to have the confidence to speak to police and know that they have a voice.”