A DRAMA teacher who groomed one of her talented pupils into having a lesbian affair has been found guilty of a string of child sex offences.

Kim Connor, 46, began teaching the girl at a performing arts school in Salford when she was just nine-years-old.

But by the time she was 15, the girl was staying the night at Connor's home as the older woman encouraged a sexual relationship to develop, leading to the pair going to restaurants, attending West End shows and even going on holiday together when the pupil was just 16.

During a week-long trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, Connor, of Blyton Lane, Salford, pleaded not guilty to 12 offences, telling the court that she had only instigated a sexual relationship with the pupil when she had turned 18.

The court heard the girl "adored" Connor, and was "enthralled' and "besotted" by her.

Connor described the teenager as being "upset" after finding out that she had been undergoing IVF treatment behind her back, and they later split after she left school and went to the University of Salford.

She also claimed her former lover had made the claims due to jealousy after the 46-year-old was appointed principal of another stage school in the area.

But a jury rejected her claims that a sexual relationship had only started after the child was an adult and found her guilty of three offences of engaging in sexual activity with a child being a person in a position of trust and a further three of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity being a person in a position of trust.

She was found not guilty of six similar offences - three of of engaging in sexual activity with a child being a person in a position of trust and another three of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity being a person in a position of trust.

The accuser – who cannot be named for legal reasons – told the court she was inspired to reveal the abuse which happened 15 years ago by the #MeToo movement.

She said that when she was 15, her parents would let her stay the night with Connor who began to encourage the girl to perform sex acts on her and at one stage opened a safe in her wardrobe which contained sex toys which they would use on one another.

Connor, who was suspended from her job as head of performing arts at St Monica's RC High School in Prestwich when the allegations came to light, took her to shows including Cabaret in London during half-term and a gig by songwriter KT Tunstall, with the court hearing how they would stay overnight in hotels.

But Connor maintained her feelings only began to change for the girl during the summer of 2007 after they had sung together in a choir with Sir Rod Stewart in front of 35,000 people at the City of Manchester Stadium.

"We had grown close over the summer," she told the court. "I had feelings for her by then and I wasn't breaking any laws.

"Once she passed her driving test that summer she seemed more grown up and we could go out and have a drink together."

Connor will be sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on April 17.