The wife of a teacher who allegedly abducted a schoolgirl to France has broken down in tears as she told a court how their marriage was falling apart.

Lewes Crown Court has heard how the pupil was aged 15 when she started a sexual relationship with Jeremy Forrest, 30, of Chislehurst Road, Petts Wood, after developing a crush on him at her school.

Fearing they were about to be exposed, Forrest booked them on a cross-Channel ferry from Dover to Calais on September 20 last year before spending seven days on the run in France.

Scots-born Forrest, who worked at Bishop Bell C of E School in Eastbourne, East Sussex, denies child abduction.

His wife Emily sobbed as she gave evidence yesterday (June 18) and had to take a break when she said she was being distracted.

Judge Michael Lawson QC allowed Mrs Forrest to take a break to enable her to compose herself and she then continued to give her evidence from behind a screen.

The 32-year-old described how their relationship worsened during the last year.

She said that at the end of 2011: "He was staying out at night a lot and not telling me where he was going.

"It got worse in January, he was staying out a lot more, drinking a lot of alcohol, coming back in the morning not telling me where he was. It was hard."

She said that he started using his Twitter account and she noticed that he was sending messages to pupils from his school.

The trial continues.