Ex-teacher guilty of sex assaults

A former Staffordshire primary school teacher has been found guilty of indecently assaulting three pupils.

The jury at Stafford Crown Court found Simon Pearce, 30, of King Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, guilty on seven counts of indecent assault.

Pearce was accused of actions which had "clear sexual overtones" including one instance where he was said to have bribed a child to hug him.

He was granted conditional bail and will be sentenced in December.

Peter Cooper, prosecuting, said: "This is a man who took steps to obtain a job where he knew there would be contact with children."

The court also heard that Pearce maintained e-mail contact with some of the children when his temporary contract ran out.