A primary school teacher has been jailed after he admitted raping a child in Stoke-on-Trent.

Simon Murch, 55, was sentenced to seven years and five months behind bars at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court today (15 February) after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing.

Officers arrested Murch on 17 July 2023, the day after he was reported to police. Murch arranged to meet the victim in Stoke-on-Trent in June (2023) where the offence then took place.

The offence took place in Stoke-on-Trent in June 2023 (Staffordshire Police).

Murch appeared at the same court on 4 September and pleaded guilty to the offence before his sentencing.

He has been put on the sex offender's register for life and is subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Detective Constable Jordan Kirkland, from the Child Protection and Exploitation Team (CPET), said: "I'd like to commend the survivor in this case and her family for their immense bravery in coming forward and telling us what Murch did."

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