A LAW teacher who attempted to have sex with a 16-year-old girl will have to sign the sex offenders' register for the next 10 years.

Nigel Richards, of Pen Rhiw Terrace, Abercarn, was sentenced at Newport Crown Court on December 8 for what Judge Carl Harrison described as “grooming”.

In heartbreaking testimony, the teen, who can’t be named for legal reasons, said Richards “devastated” her existence”,

Richards’ reign of sexual terror on his victim included sending thousands of sex texts and exhibiting controlling behaviour.

‘I want to wear your knickers’: Sick messages law teacher sent to teen

Texts between Richards, 57, and his victim began to become sexual in nature in April 2021.

They included Richards writing he wanted to make his victim “scream with pleasure” and, in one text, he said he would like to do a sexual act while wearing her knickers.

Richards was arrested in May of that year after being notified to the police.

In heartbreaking testimony read out in court, Richards’ victim said her life became a living hell.

“He devastated my existence,” said Richards’ victim. “I could not sleep at night because I was having nightmares.

“I could not look at myself in the mirror. Every day I was battling with thoughts of ending my life because he made it a living hell.”

She went on to say it took her months to lose the shame of the offence and said Richards should be the one to feel guilty.

At Newport Magistrates Court in October 2023, Richards pleaded guilty to multiple charges of attempting to incite a child into having sex between April and May 2021.

Richards has one previous conviction for an offence of drink driving for which he was disqualified.

In mitigation, it was said Richards was deeply ashamed and admitted his actions were wrong.

On sentencing at Newport Crown Court on December 8, Judge Carl Harrison said Richards’ behaviour had given his victim nightmares.

“Thousands of messages were sent,” said Judge Harrison. “You were sending messages when she was trying to sleep, the nature of those messages causing her to have nightmares.

“You stole her happiness.”

Richards was sentenced to ten months in prison suspended for 24 months and will be on the sex offenders' register for ten years.

The sentence was suspended for reasons including lack of previous convictions, delay in sentencing and Richards not committing any further crimes in that time.