PICTURED: Downham teenager expecting 40-year-old banned teacher's baby

Jeffery Thomas was working at Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy as a design technology teacher when he embarked on a relationship with Year 12 student Lily-Mai Guard in 2013.

A disciplinary hearing report published this week reveals the pair exchanged phone numbers, making 89 calls and texting 29 times over a one-month period in the summer holidays.

One witness claimed the teacher had seen his pupil around 10 times outside of  school, with Mr Thomas admitting she stayed at his flat for one night on his birthday

In a statement he wrote: "This was because she knew I was low and alone on my birthday, she arrived at my flat late and unannounced.

"We went to the cinema and she ended up sleeping on the bed (me on the sofa) because she missed her last train home.

"Again, with hindsight I realise I was at fault and should have sent her home when she arrived."

And the relationship continued despite her brother - a fellow teacher - and the school's vice principal warning him off. In a heated row with his estranged wife, it was claimed Mr Thomas even told her he had kissed the girl, the report says, although this fact was not found to be proven.

Mr Thomas, who resigned in September 2013, accepted his conduct had breached professional boundaries but denied his behaviour was sexually motivated, asking the disciplinary panel to take into account his personal circumstances.

However, although the panel found no evidence of a sexual relationship while the pupil was at school, they heard the pair were now living together in Berkshire and the teen was expecting their first child.

They concluded: "The evidence of how this relationship developed between teacher and student while she was a student at the school allows no explanation for Mr Thomas' conduct other than it became sexually motivated.

"We are satisfied that this is the only credible and realistic explanation for what occurred."

Mr Thomas, who did not attend last month's conduct hearing, was banned from teaching indefinitely.

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A spokesman for Knights Academy said: "We are in full agreement with the Teacher Misconduct Panel that Mr Jeff Thomas’ behaviour was completely unacceptable and we fully support the banning order.  

"The school took swift action as soon as it became aware that Mr Thomas had ignored all advice about his professional conduct. This resulted in his suspension and the referral of his case to the appropriate authorities, who have now taken the decision to ban him from teaching. 

"The panel that investigated the case found that despite the school giving him "very clear warnings", he "continued to maintain and develop the relationship" with the student.  

"The panel went on to say that, there has been an abuse of trust towards the student. "Teachers need to be seen as role models to those they teach and Mr Thomas has failed to achieve that important standard." We completely agree with these findings and we are pleased with the outcome of the hearing."

Teacher was 'somebody you could trust'

One former pupil, who did not want to be named, said: "I always saw them together whilst Mr Thomas was helping her with coursework or if she had a 'free lesson'.

"After a while I noticed they were hanging around a lot more than a normal teacher would with a student but I didn't really take notice.

"As a teacher I thought Mr Thomas was a good teacher as he was willing to help you get the grades you wanted and the ones he expected from you. 

"He was a generally funny person and someone you could trust. Their relationship in school was kept very much under the radar from what I could see but at times there was moments when you could just tell that there was something going on but you couldn't figure it out. 

"Now it just comes as a shock to hear the girl I knew is now pregnant with his baby. It's weird knowing that a teacher that used to teach you is know dating a student a couple of years older than you."

She said: "Some of the people in my year group were confused and didn't expect it to come from him. I was genuinely left speechless because I didn't expect this from him as I used to speak with him sometimes in school."