Sex offender teacher planned to run away to Amsterdam with 15-year-old victim
A teacher at a top private school planned to run away to Amsterdam with a teenage girl he had spent months grooming.
Maths teacher John Wunderle, 35, was jailed for four years on Friday after pleading guilty to five sexual offences involving a 15-year-old with whom he was infatuated.
Snaresbrook Crown Court heard Wunderle – who appeared in the dock wearing a grey sweatshirt, black rimmed glasses and a blue shirt – and the girl had been planning to run away together.
“The defendant had mentioned Amsterdam and going on the ferry to Holland,” said prosecutor Nicholas Bleaney.
“It seems they were short of funds.”
He said the Internet history on the girl’s phone showed she had searched the name of the girl who ran away with teacher Jeremy Forrest two years ago.
In a victim impact statement, the teenager said she now felt she had been “manipulated” by Wunderle, who worked as a teacher at Bancroft’s School in Woodford Green.
“She felt at the time she loved him and what was going on was consensual,” said Mr Bleaney.
“She now feels stupid and manipulated and questions her own judgment.
“It’s clearly dented her confidence.”
The court heard Wunderle, who has a PhD in maths, was caught after the victim’s mother walked in on him getting dressed in her daughter’s bedroom.
After being arrested, Wunderle was released on bail on the condition of not contacting the girl.
He ignored the order, using an alias to contact her on Facebook and Twitter and arranging to meet up.
But the 35-year-old, who had been living in Waltham Abbey, was caught with her in his car by a private detective.
Mitigating, Nan Mousley said Wunderle had “misbehaved” but hoped to pursue a “lifetime relationship” with his victim.
“That may be wrong but it shows a profound lack of judgment and profound lack of maturity,” she said.
She urged Judge Nigel Peters to give Wunderle a suspended sentence and allow him to move on with his life.
But sentencing him, Judge Peters said the teacher would have been well aware of “huge public concern” over sexual relationships between young girls and older men.
“But for you being found by the mum in the home, I’ve no doubt [the offences] would have continued,” he said.
Wunderle was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register.
October 2014
Maths teacher at a £15,000-a-year private school faces jail for having sex with 15 year-old girl
John Wunderle, 35, groomed the teenager over a five month period before he was caught with her in the back of his car.
Wunderle, who earns £40,000 a year as a teacher at Bancroft’s School in Woodford Green, Essex, was spotted with the victim on 1 August.
He has appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court by video link to plead guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of penetrative sexual activity with a child
August 2014
Private school maths teacher, 34, appears in court charged with grooming and having sex with 15-year-old girl
A private school maths teacher accused of grooming and having sex with a 15-year-old girl appeared in court today.
John Wunderle, 34, taught at the £15,000-a-year Bancroft’s School in Woodford Green, Essex, and had been on bail for grooming a girl when she was seen in the back of his car, it was said.
The £40,000-a-year teacher, who is said to weight 20 stone, was arrested after allegedly trying to drive off with a teenager in Woodford Green on August 1.
Wunderle was remanded in custody by magistrates and appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court in north-east London via video link from HMP Pentonville in north London this morning.
He faces two charges of engaging in sexual activity with a minor and two of inciting a minor into sexual activity.
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