An ex-teacher has been jailed for 10 years after engaging in sexual activity with two female pupils.

Alex Brown was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday after previously admitting five offences of sexual activity with a child, three of penetrative sexual activity with a child and three of taking indecent images of a child.

The 35-year-old father-of-two committed the offences while married and employed at schools in the Waveney area between 2015 and 2017.

Brown initially told police he kissed and fondled one of the girls, but later confessed to having intercourse on several occasions.

Prosecutor Marc Brown said the offences followed an exchange of WhatsApp messages, including an image sent by the defendant of condoms and a blindfold.

In later messages, Brown referred to the potential of imprisonment if ever caught for having sex with the girl, who was described as suffering various emotional irregularities.

A similar pattern of offences previously committed against the other girl were exposed in October last year – beginning with phone messages and escalating to sexual intercourse, including at Brown’s address while his wife was away.

“He said he would leave his wife when his kids turned 18,” prosecutor Mr Brown explained.

“A promise that was all part of his simple manipulation of her. The offences required significant planning and grooming.”

Andrew Oliver, mitigating, said Brown had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, shown remorse and accepted the accounts of both girls, whose vulnerability he acknowledged.

“He doesn’t seek to blame anyone but himself,” he added.

“He knows he has devastated the direct victims and caused knock-on harm to others.”

Mr Oliver said Brown had since lost his career, marriage and home – moving to Spibey Lane, Rothwell, Leeds.

Judge David Goodin said Brown had “betrayed the solemn trust of society in the most comprehensive way imaginable”.

“You’re no fool,” he added.

“You knew exactly what you were doing.

“Your illicit, illegal and shameful activity with both girls was not very different.”

Brown received consecutive sentences of six and two years for sexual activity with the girls, two years for taking indecent pictures, and two concurrent eight-month sentences for kissing the two girls.