A music teacher who sexually abused teenage girls at the school in Chelmsford where he worked has been jailed.

Kieran Hope was found guilty of seven counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child following a two-week trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Hope, of Keith Avenue, Wickford, denied the offences but was found guilty by a jury on Friday. He was sentenced to 11-and-a-half years imprisonment at the same court today.

The court heard how Hope abused his position of trust at Sandon School in Chelmsford to target three vulnerable teenage girls aged between 13 and 17 over a two-year period between 2012 and 2014, according to Essex Police.

A force spokesman said: “The 33-year-old arranged meetings with the girls via text messages, phone calls and emails outside of school but took advantage of them within the music department of which he was head.

“His offences ranged from inappropriate touching to engaging in a full sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl.

“Hope bombarded one of his victims, who was aged between 16 and 17 at the time, with more than 3,000 text messages in a single month.

“Police launched an investigation into Hope in May 2014 after one of his victim’s confided in a friend who encouraged her to come forward.

“He was later charged with sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust and appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court in March 2015. Following his appearance in court, two other victims came forward and the investigation continued.

“In August 2015, Hope was charged with a further three counts of sexual activity with a child and three counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.”

Jeanine Atkins-Calver from the Child Sexual Exploitation Team at Essex Police said: “Kieran Hope used his position as a teacher to strike up inappropriate relationships with vulnerable female students.

“He abused his position of trust to become a sexual predator, flattering the girls with compliments and persuading them that engaging in sexual activity with him would help build their confidence.

“I am pleased that Hope will now spend a significant period of time behind bars and would like to thank the girls who came forward to give evidence against him. Their bravery may well have stopped other young girls being abused.”