A former teacher jailed in 2021 for engaging in sexual activity with a vulnerable pupil has been brought back to court for flouting an order.
Mark Craster-Chambers, now 59, stood trial at Carlisle Crown Court in front of a jury which convicted him of two offences.
Both involved engaging in sexual activity with a 16-year-old while in a position of trust.
In April 2021, he was handed an immediate 18-month prison sentence. He was one of three men jailed by a judge for sexually abusing the girl during unconnected incidents two decades before.
Craster-Chambers had worked at John Ruskin School in Coniston.
He left the profession in 2017 having risen to the position of deputy head during a career which lasted a quarter of a century.
As a result of his conviction, he was later banned from classroom work for life following a misconduct hearing.
Craster-Chambers maintained his innocence but members of the misconduct panel concluded that a lifetime ban was necessary to maintain public confidence in the profession.
Craster-Chambers was made subject to sex offender notification requirements for 10 years. These placed a legal obligation on him to comply with specified conditions, including registering with police each year and providing up to date personal details, including banking and online information.
But at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court this morning, Craster-Chambers, of Cumwhinton, near Carlisle, pleaded guilty to four separate breaches between March 5 2021 and November 29 this year.
Peter Bardsley, prosecuting, said: “Police officers received information that he failed to make a periodic notification, due to be made on or before 21st November of this year.
“Police officers then went to visit him. Found upon him was a Barclays savings card which hadn’t been revealed to the police and also a Barclays account; and also that he hadn’t informed the police of an alias he used on YouTube.
“Therefore, four breaches of these notification requirements.”
Defence solicitor Jeff Smith offered no mitigation at this stage of the court proceedings, suggesting a probation service pre-sentence report — providing an up to date assessment of the defendant — would be required. A probation officer confirmed that would be necessary.
Magistrates adjourned the case. Craster-Chambers is due to be sentenced at the magistrates’ court on February 2.
In the meantime has been granted unconditional bail.
