A TEACHING assistant who groomed a vulnerable 15 – Year- old boy and was dubbed “Mrs. Robinson” by a friend has been jailed for two years.
A court heard that Lydia Beattie-Milligan, 43, befriended the youngster within weeks of meeting him, later booking a hotel room in which the two could meet.
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The married mum-of-two claimed she had wanted to help the boy, who had various issues, but acknowledged that she had crossed a bound ary when she booked the room.
She had denied the charges against her, claiming to have “100 per cent no interest in children in a sexual way “, but a jury at Liverpool Crown Court took just an hour to convict her of arranging to meet a child following sexual grooming.
Jailing the mum-of-two Judge Gary Woodhall said: “I am perfectly satisfied that you were intending to engage in penetrative sexual activity with him.”
DUBBED “MRS. ROBINSON”
Among text messages heard by the jury were some in which Beattie-Milligan told the boy he was amazing and that she could not eat or sleep.
She also used kiss emojis and signed off messages with the word “babes”.
The jury heard a friend of Beattie-Milligan’s referred to her as Mrs Robinson in a text when discussing her relationship with two younger colleagues.
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Mrs Robinson is a character in the 1967 film The Graduate, and the term is used to refer to an older woman pursuing a much younger man.
Concerns first arose when a colleague noticed that Beattie-Milligan, who had 25 years’ experience in education roles, was paying the boy too much attention and “acting too familiar with him”.
After she gave the boy a bonus point in art, the colleague joked with the boy that he must be her favorite, at which point the boy showed him text messages about the plans to meet at a hotel.
Beattie-Milligan was suspended and the police informed.
VICTIM HAS SINCE ‘GONE OFF THE RAILS’
The court heard that Beattie-Milligan’s “abhorrent” behavior has had a devastating impact on her victim, and that he had since “gone off the rails”.
His mother said in a statement said his behavior had deteriorated and his levels of anger and aggression had increased.
“He trusted teachers and this is what happened,” she said.
“It now means he is not able to talk to anyone.
“He is carrying all these emotions around with him which he won’t let out which is resulting in aggression.
“He needs help but will not trust professionals to accept that help.”
Beattie-Milligan’s own marriage has also collapsed since the allegations emerged.
Judge Woodhall said: “It is clear you were sexually attracted to this boy, infatuated with him and encouraged similar feelings within him.
“You of all people must have known what you were doing, why it was wrong and the consequences of what you were doing.
“Those like this boy need protecting not only from others but also from themselves, lacking maturity and skills to make appropriate decisions in life.
“You were employed to protect and help him and for your own benefit, fulfilment and reward breached that significant trust placed in you.”
He also ordered Beattie-Milligan be added to the sex offenders’ register for ten years.
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