Male teacher, 53, who sexually abused teenage boy after plying him with alcohol while playing 'strip poker' is jailed for 13 months

 A disgraced teacher has been jailed for sexually abusing a teenager after getting him drunk at 'strip poker' card games.

Stephen Elliott, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, carried out abuse after plying the victim with alcohol during the cards nights, where players were expected to remove items of clothing as a forfeit if they lost hands.

Prosecutor Christine Egerton told Durham Crown Court Elliott would take advantage of how drunk his victim was to carry out attacks.

The court heard that Elliott told the teen, 'it was fun to get naked', and said there was, 'trust and loyalty' between them, to try to ensure he would report nothing.

Miss Egerton said the defendant's behaviour continued after the victim turned 18, although no charges arise from those occasions.

The court heard the victim eventually 'broke down' and told Elliott he did not want to be touched by him anymore.

Although the victim was troubled by what happened to him, he did not report it to police for several years.

Elliott, 53, of Boddy Street, Bishop Auckland, who has no previous offences on his record, denied the offences when questioned by detectives.

But, a week before his scheduled trial, last month, he admitted two counts of sexual activity with a boy in breach of a position of trust.

Chris Baker, in mitigation, conceded it was, 'a terrible breach of trust', at a time when Elliott was suffering with mental health issues.

+1

Elliott, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, carried out abuse after plying the victim with alcohol during the cards nights, where players were expected to remove items of clothing as a forfeit if they lost hands. Prosecutor Christine Egerton told Durham Crown Court (pictured) Elliott would take advantage of how drunk his victim was to carry out attacks

Mr Baker said the defendant had his own 'troubled background', leading to problems in his adult life.

'He has been conflicted about his sexuality throughout his adult life and there may be some beacon of hope that he now knows who he is.

'These offences were committed while in conflict about himself.' 

Jailing him for 13 months, Judge Ray Singh told Elliott he took advantage of the fact the victim, 'no doubt, looked up to you'.

The judge told Elliott there was 'undoubted grooming' and said he did not feel he had shown much remorse, as reflected by the late stage that he made admissions.

Elliott was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender registration, both for ten years.