ISLE OF WIGHT SCHOOL MENTOR FOUND GUILTY OF SENDING SEXUAL MESSAGES TO 15-YEAR-OLD STUDENT
AN ISLE of Wight school mentor exchanged more than 3,000 messages with a child at her place of work – including telling the 15-year-old she was “saving everything for him”.The case of Ellen Cadman-Smith, of York Road, Sandown, has been heard before a judge at the Isle of Wight Crown Court.A trial of issue commenced yesterday (Monday) and concluded today (Tuesday).Ms Cadman-Smith, declared medically unfit to stand trial, was not present in the court room for her trial.The 24-year-old was charged with engaging in sexual communication with a child.A jury was asked to decide whether she did the act levelled against her.Prosecutor, Mary Aspinall-Miles, told the court some 3,068 messages were exchanged between Cadman-Smith and the victim.Police had been alerted by the victim’s mother, who found messages from an ‘E’ on her son’s mobile phone.Ms Aspinall-Miles said they were not accidental messages, and a reasonable person would objectively see some of them as sexual.She said Cadman-Smith had been working as a progress mentor at an Isle of Wight School, and her victim had been 15 years old and studying for his GCSEs.Police retrieved text messages from two phones – Cadman-Smith’s and the victim’s – and a sample selection were shown to the jury.Ms Aspinall-Miles said it was plain to see the pair were in some sort of relationship, which was a romantic and sexual one.The messages started in January 2020, with Cadman-Smith telling the victim she had feelings for him and expressing frustration that she couldn’t “have him”.Numerous messages were read out in court, and Ms Aspinall-Miles singled out those she believed were clear and explicit exchanges.Texts to the victim included: “I can’t get you out of my head”, “I just want you so badly”, “I’m falling for you”, “the things I could do to you right now are driving me insane”, “I can’t wait to get my hands on you”, “who knows what I’m capable of”, and “I do my best to please you every time.”The court heard there were declarations of love, and expressions of concern about not making their relationship public, and someone seeing the pair meet outside of school.Ms Aspinall-Miles said Cadman-Smith had a boyfriend at the time, but texted the victim, telling him she was ‘saving everything for him’.Ms Aspinall-Miles said text messages suggested they would meet up regularly, and there was even a discussion about going away together and spending a night in a hotel in Kent – “somewhere proper out of the way”.The court heard at one stage, Cadman-Smith told the victim she was half-naked while texting him, and made mention of ‘snogging his face off’.On November 18, Cadman-Smith was arrested by police at her home address.The court heard the victim’s mother had more recently found a birthday card from Cadman-Smith, wishing the victim a happy 16th birthday and telling him she loved him.It was signed off as ‘E’ – much the same as her name in the victim’s contacts list on his mobile phone.Member of the jury reached a verdict within five minutes of retiring and found Cadman-Smith did the act charged.The court heard Cadman-Smith suffered from extreme anxiety, coupled with some longer-term difficulties.
She was given an absolute discharge but placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years with a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the barring list.
The forfeiture and destruction of her mobile phone was also ordered.
